Founded in 1969 Goal was creation of revolutionary group Overthrow US government Destruction of imperialism Achieve a classless world Believed peaceful protests were ineffective Violence would bring about social and political change

Original Members Karen Ashley Bill Ayers Bernardine Dohrn John Jacobs Jeff Jones Gerry Long Howie Machtinger Jim Mellen Terry Robbins Mark Rudd Steve Tappis

Haymarket Bombing Oct. 7, 1969 Haymarket Square Chicago Bomb blows up memorial of police casualties from Haymarket Riot of Rebuilt and unveiled on May 4, 1970 Blown up again on Oct 6

“Days of Rage” Oct. 9 – 10, 1969 “Bring the War Home” Wake up Americans Complacent with US role in Vietnam Meant to be a protest of thousands Few hundred show up Riot for 30 minutes

Flint War Council Dec. 27 – 31, 1969 Weathermen go underground Engage in guerilla warfare against US gov’t

Park Place Police Station bombing February 16, 1970 Nail bomb explodes in police station in San Francisco Kills 1 police officer; another injured WU suspected – Ayers and Dohrn Never proven

NYC Judge Attacked Feb 21, 1970 Molotov cocktails thrown at house of New York State Supreme Court Justice Presiding over trial of Black Panther Party members that wanted to bomb landmarks

“Free the Panther 21” “The Viet Cong Have Won” “Kill the Pigs” Also bombed police car and 2 military recruiting stations Evidence pointed to Bernardine Dohrn

Greenwich Village Townhouse Incident March 6, members of Weather Underground killed by own bomb Meant for Fort Dix Army Base and Columbia University

Changes Reevaluate strategy Reject belief in acceptability of human casualties, kidnappings and assassinations Bombings carried out at night Warnings would precede attacks

Declaration of a State of War on Amerikkka Bernardine Dohrn Response to death of Black Panther member Fred Hampton May 21, 1970

Other Attacks June 9, 1970 – NYC police headquarters bombed September 1970 – break Timothy Leary out of Prison LSD advocate Paid $20,000 by The Brotherhood of Eternal Love Transported Leary to Algeria May 19, 1972 – Pentagon bombed

End of the Underground US withdraws from Vietnam in 1975 Jimmy Carter grants amnesty to draft dodgers WUO had failed to radicalize America Emerged from hiding Most never prosecuted Others had convictions overturned

Underground Today Bernandine Dohrn married Bill Ayers Associate Professor of Law at Northwestern University School of Law Bill Ayers Professor of education at University of Illinois at Chicago Served on board of directors on two non-profit organizations w/President Obama No personal ties