Boston Women's Pentagon Action (Cambridge, Mass.) collection
Collection
Identifier: M143
Overview
Boston Women's Pentagon Action was a local chapter of the Woman's Pentagon Action, a decentralized, national feminist organization focused on anti-military, environmental, and social activism. The Women's Pentagon Action was born out of a 1980 meeting of activist women in the Northeastern United States. Concerned with the threat of nuclear proliferation, the Women's Pentagon Action was formed to organize and lead protests advocating human rights and non-violence. In November of 1980, the first Women's Pentagon Action march was held at the Pentagon and included experimental use of protest actions such as theatre, puppetry, and weaving demonstration. A similar march was held at the Pentagon in 1981. The structure of the Women's Pentagon Action allowed for autonomous regional chapters, which organized joint projects with local organizations. In addition to participating in national rallies, the Boston Women's Pentagon Action, part of the Women's Educational Center in Cambridge, Massachusetts, partnered with local organizations to host protests, discussions, artistic events, and civil disobedience training sessions. In support of the 1983 anti-military Seneca Peace Encampment in New York, the Boston Women's Pentagon Action mobilized local activists to participate in the summer-long protest camp. In 1984, the Boston chapter took part in the national Women's Pentagon Action "Not in Our Name" protest on Wall Street. The rally was organized in an effort to expand the focus of the Women's Pentagon Action by targeting economic inequality. In 1986, the Boston Women's Pentagon Action disbanded and its assets were transferred to the Boston Women's Fund.
Dates
- 1980-1986
Creator
- Boston Women's Pentagon Action (Organization)
Conditions Governing Access:
This collection is unrestricted.
Conditions Governing Reproduction and Use:
Requests for permission to publish material from this collection should be discussed with the University Archivist.
Chronology
- 1980 Northeast feminist conference draws activists concerned with the threats of nuclear proliferation.
- 1980 First Women's Pentagon Action march on the Pentagon is held in Washington, D.C.
- 1980 Boston Women's Pentagon Action is formed.
- 1981 The second Women's Pentagon Action march on the Pentagon occurs in Washington, D.C.
- 1982 Boston Women's Pentagon Action participates in the Standing Up Against the Klan social justice rally in Washington, D.C.
- 1982 Boston hosts regional meeting of the Women's Pentagon Action.
- 1983 Boston Women's Pentagon Action participates in the international Campaign to Stop the Euromissles.
- 1983 Anti-missile protesters stage a summer-long Seneca Falls Peace Encampment in Seneca, New York. The event is supported by Women's Pentagon Action, including the Boston chapter.
- 1983 Boston Women's Pentagon Action members attend the march for Jobs, Peace and Freedom in Washington, D.C.
- 1983 Boston Women's Pentagon Action participates in a protest of the Charles Stark Draper Laboratory, Inc. in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
- 1984 The Women's Pentagon Action "Not in Our Name" protest is held in New York City.
- 1984 The Women's School and the Boston Women's Pentagon Action partner to host workshops on feminism and civil disobedience.
- 1984 Boston Women's Pentagon Action members protest a defense contracting conference at the Boston Park Plaza Hotel.
- 1986 Boston Women's Pentagon Action disbands. The organization's assets are transferred to the Boston Women's Fund.
- 1980
- Northeast feminist conference draws activists concerned with the threats of nuclear proliferation.
- 1980
- First Women's Pentagon Action march on the Pentagon is held in Washington, D.C.
- 1980
- Boston Women's Pentagon Action is formed.
- 1981
- The second Women's Pentagon Action march on the Pentagon occurs in Washington, D.C.
- 1982
- Boston Women's Pentagon Action participates in the Standing Up Against the Klan social justice rally in Washington, D.C.
- 1982
- Boston hosts regional meeting of the Women's Pentagon Action.
- 1983
- Boston Women's Pentagon Action participates in the international Campaign to Stop the Euromissles.
- 1983
- Anti-missile protesters stage a summer-long Seneca Falls Peace Encampment in Seneca, New York. The event is supported by Women's Pentagon Action, including the Boston chapter.
- 1983
- Boston Women's Pentagon Action members attend the march for Jobs, Peace and Freedom in Washington, D.C.
- 1983
- Boston Women's Pentagon Action participates in a protest of the Charles Stark Draper Laboratory, Inc. in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
- 1984
- The Women's Pentagon Action "Not in Our Name" protest is held in New York City.
- 1984
- The Women's School and the Boston Women's Pentagon Action partner to host workshops on feminism and civil disobedience.
- 1984
- Boston Women's Pentagon Action members protest a defense contracting conference at the Boston Park Plaza Hotel.
- 1986
- Boston Women's Pentagon Action disbands. The organization's assets are transferred to the Boston Women's Fund.
Extent
0.3 cubic feet (1 container, 2 flat file folders)
Language
English
System of Arrangement:
Arranged in one alphabetical sequence.
Physical Location
64/3, FF6/D9
Bibliography
- Epstein, Barbara. Political Protest and Cultural Revolution. California: University of California Press, 1993.
Creator
- Boston Women's Pentagon Action (Organization)
- Title
- Finding aid for the Boston Womens Pentagon Action Records
- Author
- Finding aid prepared by Kendra Kelley
- Date
- November 1, 2007
- Language of description
- Undetermined
- Script of description
- Code for undetermined script
- Language of description note
- Description is in English.
Repository Details
Part of the Northeastern University Archives and Special Collections Repository