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."
American University Class of 1969'er John Vecciarelli shares memories of his time as an AU student. He reflects particularly on his time on the baseball team. He remembers how the team made Sports Illustrated for losing by the biggest margin that year (31-0), but then went on to beat the #1 team in the league the next week. John also remembers being a student when Martin Luther King, Jr. was assasinated, and mentions that he was in the Alpha Sigma Chi fraternity. He ends by discussing the "beautiful, great" changes he sees on campus.
Joyce Hospodar and Winifred "Winnie" Reed, both American University Class of 1969, discuss the rock concerts they saw during their time at AU. They remember seeing Simon and Garfunkel, John Sebastian, and Chuck Berry on campus; Winnie remembers meeting Chuck Berry in particular. Winnie also reflects on seeing Meatloaf in the former AU gym and remembers it as a very loud concert. The women talk about how the concerts were usually sold out and organized by staff or the student council. They end by discussing the lasting friendships and memories they made at AU: "being here today, a lot of it is coming back."
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.
Mark Speiser, American University Class of 1969, reflects of his time as student. He discusses how attending AU was a worldly experience for him coming from a small town and how he learned a lot about the world/country from living in DC. He shares one of his most memorable stories about asking a girl out on a date, only to learn she was married to a Supreme Court Justice.
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."