Introduction
This primary source packet contains materials pertaining to Haverford College’s response to the Vietnam War from John R. Coleman’s presidential papers (HCB-001-012) and the Haverford College Photograph collection (HCT-001). Although most of these materials come from the archival records of Haverford’s Office of the President, they highlight the voices and experiences of students, faculty, and staff members.
These materials may support class and research topics related to student life and activism at Haverford, the history of the anti-war movement, the history of higher education, and the culture and politics surrounding the Vietnam War.
Packet contents:
- List of primary sources
- Guiding questions for engaging with the primary sources
- Articles which provide background on this topic:
- Broadhurst, Christopher. “‘There Can Be No Business as Usual’: The University of North Carolina and the Student Strike of May 1970.” Southern Cultures Vol. 21, No. 2 (Summer, 2015): 84-101. https://www-jstor-org.ezproxy.haverford.edu/stable/26220279
- Hall, Mitchell K. “The Vietnam Era Antiwar Movement.” OAH Magazine of History Vol. 18, No. 5 (Oct., 2004): 13-17. https://www-jstor-org.ezproxy.haverford.edu/stable/25163716
- Townsend, Kim. “Civil Disobedience: A Question of Institutional Involvement.” The Massachusetts Review Vol. 53, No. 4 (Winter, 2012): 701-716. https://www-jstor-org.ezproxy.haverford.edu/stable/41703207
- May, Isaac. “The President’s Friends and Foes: The Effect of the Nixon Presidency on the Divisions of American Quakerism.” Quaker History Vol. 102, No. 1 (Spring, 2013): 17-38. https://www-jstor-org.ezproxy.haverford.edu/stable/43893716
Primary Sources
Haverford and Swarthmore students participate in an anti-war rally, 1965. HCT-001, Haverford College Photograph collection, Box 39, “Campus Life VB”
[digitized version]
Haverford students at an anti-war protest, 1967. HCT-001, Haverford College Photograph collection, Box 40, “Campus Life VIA”
[digitized version]
Haverford and Bryn Mawr students at an anti-war protest, 1967. HCT-001, Haverford College Photograph collection, Box 40, “Campus Life VIA”
[digitized version]
John Coleman statement on the draft to Haverford News, February 21, 1968. HCB-001-012, John R. Coleman presidential papers, Box 5, “Statements, 1967-1978”
[digitized version]
Community Concerns Committee memo on the Vietnam moratorium, September 23, 1969. HCB-001-012, John R. Coleman presidential papers, Box 5, “Vietnam Moratorium, 1969”
[digitized version]
John Coleman’s statement and letter to Richard Nixon, October 1969. HCB-001-012, John R. Coleman presidential papers, Box 5, “Vietnam Statement, 1969–Presidents’ Letters”
[digitized version]
John Coleman memo on the Vietnam moratorium, October 7, 1969. HCB-001-012, John R. Coleman presidential papers, Box 5, “Vietnam Moratorium, 1969”
[digitized version]
Marcel Gutwirth letter on the Vietnam moratorium, October 9, 1969. HCB-001-012, John R. Coleman presidential papers, Box 5, “Vietnam Moratorium, 1969”
[digitized version]
John Coleman and Louis Green correspondence on the Vietnam moratorium, October 1969. HCB-001-012, John R. Coleman presidential papers, Box 5, “Vietnam Moratorium, 1969”
[digitized version]
President of the Students’ Association Stan Murphy’s letter to John Coleman on the Vietnam moratorium, November 11, 1969. HCB-001-012, John R. Coleman presidential papers, Box 5, “Vietnam Moratorium, 1969”
[digitized version]
Linda Gerstein memo, “What Shall We Do on Friday?” November 13, 1969. HCB-001-012, John R. Coleman presidential papers, Box 5, “Vietnam Moratorium, 1969”
[digitized version]
Preston Rowe memo to faculty regarding voluntary relinquishing of pay, November 1969. HCB-001-012, John R. Coleman presidential papers, Box 5, “Vietnam Moratorium, 1969”
[digitized version]
Statement of the Black Students League on the Vietnam War, ca. 1970. HCB-001-012, John R. Coleman presidential papers, Box 1, “Black Students, 1969-1971”
[digitized version]
Memo to student body regarding “Classes to Congress,” ca. May 1970. HCB-001-012, John R. Coleman presidential papers, Box 1, “Black Students, 1969-1971”
[digitized version]
Haverford College to Congress, May 5, 1970. HCB-001-012, John R. Coleman presidential papers, Box 5, “Washington Trip, May-August 1970”
[digitized version]
Harriet Beardsley letter to College staff regarding the Washington trip, May 5, 1970. HCB-001-012, John R. Coleman presidential papers, Box 5, “Washington Trip, May-August 1970”
[digitized version]
C.W. Smith memo to the campus regarding essential services during the Washington trip, May 5, 1970. HCB-001-012, John R. Coleman presidential papers, Box 5, “Washington Trip, May-August 1970”
[digitized version]
Fundraising for the Washington trip, May 6, 1970. HCB-001-012, John R. Coleman presidential papers, Box 5, “Washington Trip, May-August 1970
[digitized version]
Telegram from Senator Charles Goodell to John Coleman, May 6, 1970. HCB-001-012, John R. Coleman presidential papers, Box 5, “Washington Trip, May-August 1970”
[digitized version]
Washington trip seminar schedule, May 7, 1970. HCB-001-012, John R. Coleman presidential papers, Box 5, “Washington Trip, May-August 1970”
[digitized version]
Guiding Questions
- Who created these sources? For what purpose?
- Describe the implied audience for these materials. What informs your opinion?
- What kind of tactics did members of the campus community employ to protest U.S. involvement in Vietnam?
- Was there an institutional response from Haverford College to the Vietnam War? If so, what was it? If not, why do you think there was not?
- What role do Quaker principles play in the student and administrative responses to the Vietnam War, if any?
- Whose voices are heard in these sources? Whose are not?