America’s most famous whistleblower, Daniel Ellsberg (1931-2023) devoted his life to the nonviolent struggle for peace, truth, and democracy. In 1971, he risked his freedom by releasing to the press and public a 7,000-page top-secret history of the Vietnam War—the Pentagon Papers—exposing decades of government lies and deceit. In the decades that followed, Ellsberg’s activism focused on nuclear disarmament, a more restrained and democratic foreign policy, and environmental justice.
THE ELLSBERG PAPERS AT UMASS
In 2019, Ellsberg, impressed by UMass Amherst’s longstanding commitment to social justice, made it the home for his papers. With the help of an anonymous donor, this treasure trove of some 600 boxes of material became part of the Robert S. Cox Special Collections and University Archives Research Center, the university’s legendary, vast, and world-renowned holdings chronicling activism for diversity, social equity, and positive social change.
THE ELLSBERG INITIATIVE FOR PEACE AND DEMOCRACY
Our mission is to promote public understanding, scholarship, and activism in support of compelling, democratic, and sustainable alternatives to militarism, authoritarianism, and environmental degradation.
We have completed three years of vibrant programming including lectures, workshops, webinars, performances, film screenings, interviews, book talks, and more. We have featured journalists, activists, scholars, whistleblowers, lawyers, policymakers, and writers from around the nation and as far away as Vietnam. For recordings of past events please visit our website: eipad.org
Your donation will provide the resources to fund next year’s series of programs and can help endow us as a permanent Institute at UMass.
To make even MORE of an impact, give during our Power Hour #4 6:00-7:00 p.m. on April 29, when we have a chance to win bonus money.
