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Colin Edwards Free Speech Movement

The Free Speech Collection is primarily comprised of audio recordings produced by independent journalistColin Edwards from 1964-1967. Edwards was a journalist working with Canadian Broadcasting, the BBC and Pacifica Radio among others. His work represents a comprehensive account of the major perspectives, ideas, events and figures of the Free Speech Movement, the Sproul hall sit-in and the subsequent changesconcerning the rights of students to engage in political activity on the UC-Berkeley campus. These changes, best known as the December 8th Resolutions, were put to the test in 1966 during the “Little Free Speech Movement” in which students’ political rights were again brought into question.This part of the collection focuses on the November 30th, 1966 confrontation between anti-war demonstrators and a Navy recruiting table that was set up in the student union building. Many students and non-students were arrested and disciplined, and students responded with a strike that disrupted campus activities. Ultimately, UC president Clark Kerr was dismissed by newly-elected Governor Reagan and the Board of Regents for being “too soft” onprotesters.

One of the strongest aspects of thiscollection is Colin’s ability to speak with all the major players: students,professors, administrators, local political and police representatives as wellas members of the corporate media. This provides a vibrant context with whichto understand the movement and its lasting effects on the political culture ofthe UC Berkeley campus. It also shifts the focus of the movement fromwell-known figures to people whose names that we might not know but played anequally important role in the success of the movement. In addition to hisinterviews, the collection also features speeches and rallies held by the FSM,Student Senate Debates in which major FSM issues were decided and even audiofrom Mario Savio's birthday party.

This is one of the definitive audiocollections of the Free Speech Movement and represents an important addition tothe dominant narrative that limits the free speech movement and itsaccomplishments to the work of a couple of dedicated students. The audioprovides evidence of the significant linkages between the civil rightsstruggles being waged by African-Americans and the Free Speech Movement, themass nature of the protests and the true politically diversity of student andfaculty participants.  

The FSM is equally as relevant todayas it was in the 1960s. Check out two of our interns' blogs about thecontemporary relevance of this collection:

Documents

December 5th Press Conference Reel 1 December 5th Press Conference Reel 1
Date: 12/5/1966Call Number: CE 773Format: 1/4 3 3/4 ipsProducers: Colin EdwardsCollection: Colin Edwards Free Speech Movement
Press Conference after the December 5th, 1966 rally as the strike continues. An Academic Senate meeting has taken place and resolutions had been made prior to this tape. Two separate meetings are on the tape: the first one is a press conference with Chancellor Hines and two faculty members (Professor Kip and a professor of law). Hines claims that progress has been made on student involvement at UCB, and faculty members talk about their support for the administration. The tape cuts to a separate meeting in which Mario Savio speaks, criticizing the Academic Senate and the resolutions that had been made declaring that the strike should end immediately. Professor English from Electrical Engineering claims that students should be meeting and dicussing with faculty rather than confronting the administration. Ed Schwartz compares the people listening to Chancellor Hines to "white negroes" agreeing to every word he says. He also discusses student responsibility to prevent the majority in "majority rule" from having the wrong perspective, and urges students to continue organizing and talking to people. Franz Schurman, a faculty member, speaks about consensus, and Professor Stocking begins to speak on the events of the day before it cuts out for the next tape.
December 5th Press Conference Part 2 December 5th Press Conference Part 2
Date: 12/5/1966Call Number: CE 774Format: 1/4 3 3/4 ipsProducers: Colin EdwardsCollection: Colin Edwards Free Speech Movement
Continued audio from the press conference at the end of the day on December 5th. Professor Stocking continues to address students considering whether to strike. Another professor (Waughse?) supports the continuation of the strike and the principles of the students on strike.