Hari Zandler, American University Class of 1969, talks about his journey to peace as a student at American University. He remembers being part of the Peace Movement and struggling to find inner peace at AU and in France. He discusses how taking yoga classes on campus helped him find peace. Hari reflects on the demonstration against the War in Cambodia on Ward Circle and commends the bravery of the students and how they emobided the spirit of the time. He remembers being chased by the police back to campus and finding solace in the Spiritual Life center. He ends by saying he lives his life by the same ideals he had as a student: "peace is a reality in my life."
Dr. Jane McCarthy served in Vietnam as a nurse in the 95th Evacuation Hospital in Da Nang. Prior to her deployment to Vietnam, Dr. McCarthy worked as a nurse in the Intensive Care Unit’s recovery staff at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington DC. Prior to enlisting in the Army as a nurse, Dr. McCarthy grew up in Cohasset, Massachusetts. The interview spans the story of Dr. McCarthy’s life immediately before the war in Vietnam, during her time in Vietnam, and immediately after her return home from the war. Interview conducted virtually via TheirStory
Leonard Cohen, American University Class of 1969, discusses his time as an American University student and beyond. As a Political Science major, he shares how he learned to "follow the money" and how to communicate with all types of people. He reflects on his time protesting as a student, and remembers the protests against the invasion of Cambodia in particular. Leonard talks about taking the "University and Revolution" class with James "Jim" Weaver and Gary Weaver and the pushback they received from the administration. He remembers sneaking alcohol while AU was a dry campus. He ends by telling a story of a time he got arrested and its aftermath.
Former American University student Pamela Beardsley discusses her time on campus. Though she did not graduate in 1969, she was a student starting in 1965 and spent time on campus through the 1970s. She remembers being a part of a small group dedicated to political action and education. She talks about protesting a continuing education program for law enforcement at AU due to increased racialized police violence in the city. Pamela reflects on how Martin Luther King's assasination changed the feeling of DC. She further discusses protests on campus in 1969 and 1970 relating to the US invasion of Cambodia and the shooting at Kent State. She ends by reflecting on the 1970 AU graduation, with a large police presence and anti-war messages everywhere. She later went on to work for the National Anti-War Organization.
Susan Haris, American University Class of 1969, reflects on her time as a politically active American University student. She remembers her favorite professor and how grateful she felt to be attending AU in his class. She discusses seeing speakers such as Adam Clayton Powell and Muhammad Ali at AU. Susan shares how the political activism and turmoil of the 1960s led her to get involved, and she talks about her experiences at the March on the Pentagon and anti-Vietnam War protests. She reflects on how the assassinations of Martin Luther King and Bobby Kennedy changed the culture of DC and Baltimore. She ends on a positive note: "we all got through it, and here we are."