University of Maryland Ignites in 1970

The University of Maryland had a relatively small core of activists during the upheavals of the 1960s, protesting for civil rights and later against the Vietnam War. Demonstrations were held on campus against military and CIA recruiters, against the draft and against the Vietnam War, but they usually involved no more than 100-200 students.

In the March 1970, two popular professors were denied tenure by the school and students occupied a building to demand a greater say in university affairs. Eight-seven students were arrested and a student-faculty activist group was formed out of the demonstrations. When President Richard Nixon announced he was invading Cambodia on April 30, 1970, the first mass demonstrations against the war began on the campus. When four students were shot to death by Ohio National Guardsmen at Kent State University on May 4, a nationwide student strike was called and a majority of students at Maryland boycotted classes.

The following account was written shortly after the month long strike and demonstrations that included two occupations of the campus by the Maryland National Guard.

University of Maryland students stage a sit-in at Skinner Hall protesting faculty tenure policies on March 23, 1970.

University of Maryland students confront police outside Skinner Hall in the late night hours of March 23, 1970. Police moved in to arrest 87 students occupying the building in the early morning hours of March 24.

University of Maryland students greet those released on bail at the Hyattsville courthouse March 24, 1970 following a sit-in on campus protesting faculty tenure policies.

University of Maryland students greet those released on bail at the Hyattsville courthouse March 24, 1970 following a sit-in on campus protesting faculty tenure policies.

Students on the steps of McKeldin Library on the University of Maryland College Park campus April 6, 1970 protesting faculty tenure policies and the arrest of 87 students during an occupation of Skinner Hall on the campus March 24.

University of Maryland students occupying a campus building on April 6, 1970 are protesting faculty tenure policies and the arrest of 87 students during an occupation of Skinner Hall on the campus two week earlier on March 24.

University of Maryland students occupying U.S. Route 1 May 1, 1970 confront state police after escalation of Vietnam War into Cambodia was announced by President Nixon the day before.

Student arrested after being beaten by state police on campus of University of Maryland during an antiwar demonstration May 1, 1970. Note blood on the street. The demonstration was in response to President Nixon's invasion of Cambodia the day before.

University of Maryland students occupying US Route 1 debate whether leave the road to take over a campus building May 11, 1970.

State police advance south on U.S. Route 1 near Calvert Road in College Park, Maryland on May 1, 1970 after a mass demonstration on campus protesting the expansion of the Vietnam War into Cambodia spilled over into an occupation of the highway.

Police charge south on U.S. Route 1 on May 1, 1970 to clear the highway of students protesting President Richard Nixon’s expansion of the Vietnam War into Cambodia.

A student grabs police billy club while another officer wrestles him to the ground during an arrest on U.S. Route 1 in College Park, Md. in May 1970.

Police use pepper fogger on the University of Maryland campus May 1, 1970 as they attempt to break up a demonstration against the expansion of the Vietnam War into Cambodia.

State police using a pepper fogger and tear gas canisters move past Cecil Hall on the University of Maryland campus May 1, 1970 attempting to disperse students protesting President Nixon’s expansion of the Vietnam War into Cambodia.

A University of Maryland student is dragged from his dormitory and arrested May 1, 1970 after protests broke out following President Richard Nixon’s announcement that he was expanding the Vietnam War into Cambodia the night before.

Students grab fire extinguishers to suppress tear gas canisters fired at them by police May 1, 1970 during a demonstration at the University of Maryland protesting the expansion of the Vietnam War into Cambodia.

Police use tear gas to clear University of Maryland students from U.S. Route 1 near Regents Drive May 1, 1970. The demonstration began protesting President Nixon’s expansion of the Vietnam War by invading Cambodia.

Students raise banner for revolution May 4, 1970 on the steps of the University of Maryland main administration building after President Richard Nixon invaded Cambodia and the Ohio National Guard killed four student demonstrators at Kent State University.

Students from the University of Maryland occupy U.S. Route 1 in College Park May 4, 1970 following the expansion of the Vietnam War into Cambodia and the shooting deaths of four students at Kent State University by National Guardsmen.

University of Maryland students regroup in front of the Chapel after being moved off U.S. Route 1 by state police during a demonstration against the expansion of the Vietnam War into Cambodia and the shooting death of four students at Kent State University May 4, 1970.

Students move closer to police lines after being moved off U.S. Route 1 by state police during a demonstration against the expansion of the Vietnam War into Cambodia and the shooting death of four students at Kent State University May 4, 1970.

Maryland State National Guard commander Adj. Gen. Edwin Warfield addresses an antiwar rally on the University of Maryland campus mall on May 5, 1970.

Students at the University of Maryland hold signs up in front of McKeldin Library condemning the killing of four students by Ohio National Guardsmen at Kent State University.

A man identified only as a chemistry professor argues with students over tactics for demonstrating against the Indochina War on May 11, 1970 inside Cole Field House on the University of Maryland campus.

Gregory Dunkel, a University of Maryland alumnus with a PhD in mathematics, urges a crowd of over 3,000 students gathered at Cole Field House on May 11, 1970 to takeover the ROTC building on campus in protest of the expansion of the Indochina War.

University of Maryland students blockade U.S. Route 1 in College Park, Md. again on May 11, 1970 with barricades, bodies and a bonfire during a student strike against the U.S. war in Indochina and the killings of four students by Ohio National Guardsmen at Kent State University.

University of Maryland students blockade U.S. Route 1 at the intersection with Regents Drive in College Park, Md. on May 11, 1970 in protest against the expansion of the Indochina War and the killing of four students at Kent State University by Ohio National Guardsmen.

A student tosses a tear gas canister back at police lines during the fiercest fighting with police and National Guard at the University of Maryland on May 14, 1970.

A group of students led by physics professor Edgar F. Beall entered the University of Maryland Main Administration Building to extinguish a fire set by protesters in the lobby on May 14, 1970.

The Maryland National Guard utilizing fixed bayonets take up a position outside of Taliaferro Hall at the University of Maryland in May 1970.

Actress and antiwar activist Jane Fonda speaks to a rally on the University of Maryland mall May 22, 1970.

The local alternative newspaper Quicksilver Times mocks Nixon’s “pacification” of Vietnam by showing him as a National Guardsman killing students at Kent State University in their May 1970 issue.

(via Washington Area Spark)