This collection contains student anti-war newspapers and protest announcement posters relating to the Vietnam War during the 1960s and 1970s. The escalation of U.S. military presence in Vietnam, coupled with the increasing number of American casualties, began a rift in American public opinion regarding our presence there. In 1965, colleges and universities held teach-ins to protest our involvement in Vietnam. Rutgers University, in fact, was one of the first universities to hold a teach-in (in 1965). It was also at this time that many colleges all over the country produced newspapers spreading the anti-war message through editorials, satirical cartoons, and announcements providing detail on when and where protests would occur. Many of the student produced newspapers that promoted an anti-war stance also supported the civil rights movement. Many campuses hosted civil rights speakers who came to discuss and promote different aspects of the movement. Some of the posters in this collection relate to such activities. Alongside the anti-war and civil rights movements were general anti-establishment sentiments emerging from much of the youth culture. These sentiments were heavily anti-authoritarian and specifically targeted the policies and actions of the federal and local governing bodies and police. In October 1969, hundreds of colleges and universities across the U.S. participated in a nationwide 'Vietnam Moratorium' that was designed as a large scale protest of the war. Rutgers University, Montclair State University, William Paterson College, Jersey City State College (now The College of New Jersey) and the newly opened Essex County College all participated in the moratorium. More than 2 million people participated in moratoriums across America. One of the participating colleges, Essex County College opened in 1968, and was plagued with various controversies from its start. The campus was heavily involved in both the anti-war and civil rights movements and had two presidents retire from their positions within a five-year period. There are some items in this collection related to the Howard Savings Bank. 'The Howard' as it would come to be known was opened May 5, 1857 in Newark, N.J. While maintaining its corporate office in Newark, 'The Howard' opened new branches throughout northern New Jersey, which continued to operate through World War I, the Great Depression, and World War II. In the 1980s it began to diversify its services. While at first 'The Howard' profited enormously from its new ventures, it would eventually prove to be its downfall. The savings and loan scandals of the late 1980s and early 1990s sent the bank into a downward spiral from which it could not recover. The bank was bought out by First Fidelity Bank in 1992.
From the description of Rubinstein collection, 1964-1988, 1967-1970. (New Jersey Historical Society Library). WorldCat record id: 57344908
