KULTURE
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 27, 2005 12A
The first oppositional culture
the most important culture.
The term *beatmint* was applied to non-conformists, . . .
including then KU students Ron Pine and Wayne Prost.
We beatmints weren't radical, we were not aware of the
educational standards in society," says Pine.
In 1954, 5 out of 38 restaurants in Lawrence served to African Americans.
Kansas in the 1950s, was extremely conforming, dreary, drab and prune. All you had to do was like, wear pink socks and people said, "Oh my God, pink socks." Wayne mocks. The Kansas Bureau of Investigation watched the beat likes, who were criticized for integrating members of different races, sexual orientations and genders. The state government assured residents that they would clear the "wetrd people" out of Lawrence.
Courtesy University Archives
Students reflect in the aftermath of a protest held July 20, 1970, in which 18-year-old freshman Nick Rice was killed by a police officer.
THE NEWS
The '60s introduced KU as a countercultural Mecca
Hippies
The Bashlight Tavern — now the Memorial Union Parking Garage — and the Rock Cake Cafe — now The Crossing — were the headquarters of the Hippies, or the "street people" as they were known in Lawrence. The Rock Cake sold "Fascist Pig Burgers" for 35 cents.
A National Marijuana Phenomena
Throughout town and along the Kaw River, fields of marijuana grow like sunflowers. Maps to the hush fields were sold at the Rock Chalk, the Gauldest and head shops throughout town: The seedy "K pot" hotwild was smoked through the country. CBS 700 Minutes" aired a special on the "Kaw Valley Hemp Pickers," and the nation watched scenes of "hemp" harvesters in action. The director of the Kansas Department of Agriculture's Noxious Weeds Division reported that there were 52,050 acres of marijuana in the state in 1968.
As word about Lawrence spread, Hippies and wayward freaks alike migrated to farms and communes throughout town to cultivate real rural hippopithecus.
*Hare long, log, protects became crowded, LSD became
common as a key
March 1955, 100 students had a sit-in at then-Chancellor W. Clark Wescoe's office to protest racial exclusion on campus and to force The University Daily Kansari to stop racist advertisements.
The introduction of the Vietnam War started a more radical and considered counterculture.
In 1967 "TIME" magazine named the Youth, 25 and Under the "Man of The Year." The youth were taking over the country from college campuses.
Like fire, revolt spread and burned through social boundaries and across the dry prairie.
Female students at the University had a mandatory
Female students at the University had a mandatory requirement of three years in the residence hall a 10.30 p.m. curtail a restriction from all parking privileges and a mandatory annual course in lady's aid and maternity.
BY
JONATHAN
LEYSER
KANSAN
CORRESPONDENT
in 1900 then Chancellor E. Lawrence Cluermiers refused a demand by the Black Student Union to crown a black homecoming queen during the ballet of the Kansas-lowa football game. From the University — the heartland — a radical activist pulse pumped activism to bodies throughout the nation. The movement, which had begun to change the world, was the result of local action at college campuses like this one.
FROM BEATNIK TO ANARCH
Rumor of Lawrence's "liberals, freaks, activists, queers and the ghost of Burroughs" brought Ailecia Ruscin, graduate teaching assistant in women's studies, to Lawrence from Auburn, Ala. To continue the tradition, she joined some local expunks and created a radical new home for the oppositional culture: Solidarity! Revolutionary Center and Radical Library, 1119 Massachusetts St.
Courtesy University Archives
kansan.com
EXCLUSIVE
Radical Eruptions in Lawrence
Read more online about the FBI versus Lawrence anarchists. Inside, see the new online poll on page 10A.
It is one of many "Infoshops," anarchists libraries and organizing spaces, popping up around the country in recent years. The homepage on Solidarity's computers is Infoshop.org, and under the library's phone is The Anarchist Yellow Pages. Both are ways the Infoshops stay connected.
During the day, the space serves the community as a library: free Internet, book checkout and space to sit and read — but this library is run by anarchists.
This bookshop and the Borders a few blocks away are as different as Jock and Freak: Borders offers how-to books including "Build a Dream Home," "Start a Business," "Become as Rich as Trump." Solidarity's how-tos are "Protect Yourself From the Police," "Give an Abortion from Home," "Throw a Legal House Party," "Build a Squat," "Become a Conscientious Objector."
The library also features a large selection of independently published zines, anti-
copyright literature and b o o k s unique to the space, covering topics ranging from an archist gardening to queer theory. There are no
quiet signs, no late fees, no library cards and loitering is encouraged.
Solidarity is more than just a library. It serves as a
Although predominantly students, the
late-night rock venue, an auditorium for radical lectures and a hub for activist planning.
space is all-inclusive and has members from all walks of life. Solidarity attracts serious revolutionaries, misplaced outcasts, thrill seekers and curious voyeurs, but also includes transgendered Christian ministers and progressive parents coming in for children's reading hour.
Not everyone at Solidarity is an archist, said volunteer librarian David Titterington, senior in fine arts. "You don't have to be an archist to get involved."
"The Infoshop is open to the community, it's just organized by anarchists," adds Titterington's shift partner, Cassi Ross, junior in organismal biology.
But many at Solidarity do identify as anarchist, including co-founding member Dave Strano. They make a point to clarify their definition.
Ross is not an anarchist but says she loves to be involved because of "all the interesting ideas that swirl around in the space."
"People hear anarchist and think 'chaos and destruction,' but actually we
are about peace and equality. And we're very organized," he says as he catalogues zines and prepares shift schedules.
In the backdrop of the Campanile, the Kansas Union burns on April 20, 1970, during the "days of rage." Thirty-five years later, the University of Kansas is still investigating who set the Union ablaze.
Solidarity makes a point to not hide from the public eye. The organizers continue to advertise their space and are located within open visible distance of the Lawrence Police Department. The group even exposed themselves in a calendar called "Kansas Radicals Exposed," which features Solidarity librarians baring their bodies of all shapes and sizes, including transgendered. The calendars are sold at the library for about $6.
"It's really nice," says Dan Carey, GTA in American studies. "Solidarity is one of the only places in town I know of that integrates members from various countercultures, bringing together activists from different generations who would have never met otherwise."
lifelong activist CJ Brune, business manager in the School of Education, was "really inspired" when she saw a protest organized by Solidarity on campus against the War in Iraq.
"I haven't seen anything like that at KU in a long time," she says to a group of young anarchists at Solidarity. "There was time, in the 80s and most of the
SEE RADICAL ON PAGE 10A
As the Vietnam War raged overseas, afterschocks were tell down Oread Avenue. The town and University were in turmoil. The armed acts arrested themselves with guns, firebombs and rage — tempterly turning Lawrence into a war zone. In 1970 alone, the Union was burned down in April, the Military Science building stoned in May and the Computation Lab bombed in December. The National Guard came in to help local law enforcement control the town in-reset *Kiger* "Tiger" Dowdell, 19-year-old active member of the black-rights community, fled down an alley and was shot in the back of the head by Officer William Garret. In response, Officer Nick Rice was shot and killed. The ignored African American community had an armed response in East Lawrence and student activists turned the University's surrounding area into an armed camp. The Dread neighborhood became a true "Student Ghetto." Students lined always with barbed wire and piano wire to keep the police out. From rooftops, student snipers shot the lines of police cars.
Police cars would drive through with their headlights on and they would still get shot at. "recalls 1970s student actress Christine Smith. She says, she was shocked to see her friends carrying guns. Then Kansas Governor Robert Docking implemented a Sundown curfew on all residents.
KU graduate Lorraine Hillary-Aber remembers hearing a recording made during the roots. Her father and a friend blasted Silent Night on their electric guitars, and gunshots rang in the background
In August 1970, Richard Nixon's political commission on campus unrest sent a team to "investigate the sources of violence and unrest in Lawrence," which hasted full-force through the end of 1971.
On February 7, 1972: CJ Brane and her friend Christine Smith participated in one of the most effective and important events for women's rights at the University. A total of 30 women occupied the East Asian Studies building, previously just seattle of Cortin Hall, chain-locking the doors and demanding essential rights for female students. Thirteen hours and countless negotiations later, the University agreed to meet their demands with offers including an affirmative action negotiation team, free childcare, a women's studies program, women's healthcare, female staff on the financial and committee and basic equality for women. The group of women were named "The February Sisters," and none faced arity reprimand from University.
"We took over a building and all of a sudden people started listening to us — and we were woment! This is power!
This what its all about! This is how you change things in this world!" CJ Brune says.
SEE HISTORY FROM THE 1980'S AND 1990'S ON CANADA TGA
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