American Peace Test (Organization)

In 1985, American Peace Test was founded as a direct, nonviolent action campaign to protest U.S. government testing of nuclear weapons at the Nevada Test Site, near Las Vegas, Nevada. Founders of APT were Jessie Cocks, Nancy Hale, Jim Driscoll, Peter Bergel, Ted Coran and Nancy Heskett, as a project of the National FREEZE Campaign; APT became an independent organization in 1986 when the first large-scale action took place. Large actions were held throughout the 1980s. These drew the support of nationally known celebrities, politicians and activists. APT reached its zenith around 1988, but was riven by internal conflicts. It regrouped in the early 1990s, but foundered once more. With a partial Comprehensive Test Ban as U.S. policy and declining attendance at protests, APT members voted to close down the organization ca. 1994. Protests at the NTS continued, sponsored by other organizations.