The Bay Area has become famous worldwide for the student protests that took place here during 1968–1970 centering on protests over the Vietnam War, racial oppression and demands for ethnic studies departments at American colleges and universities.
However, little has been published about student actions and activism at our own SMCCD college district during this time.
This means there's an exciting opportunity for original research on your part. Your work might include searching for both primary and secondary sources and even interviewing people who were on campus at Canada, Skyline and the College of San Mateo during that time. You can also contact local historians and librarians at other institutions. You'll decide whether you want to also draw some parallels to the unrest that's happening across our nation right now.
As a first step toward deciding if student activism in our District is a topic you want to pursue, I encourage you to read an article I wrote in May, 2020 for our faculty union newsletter, The Advocate, here: 50 years ago a different crisis canceled classes. This will give you a better idea of the events that took place in 1970.
I'm also available to help you find and evaluate research sources as well as reach out to potential experts.
The article below was published in the San Francisco Chronicle, May 8, 1970
