Peace

Trailblazing Women: Peace Activist Tracy Mygatt

March 25, 2021 by Chuck Howlett Leave a Comment

As we celebrate Women’s History Month it is only fitting that we call attention to the contributions one native New Yorker made to the cause of world peace and social justice.

Born in Brooklyn, New York, on March 12th, 1885, Tracy Mygatt was inspired by her New England ancestors’ religious convictions and translated those spiritual roots into radical social change, one that was highlighted by her own political determination.

After her graduation from Bryn Mawr College in 1908, she devoted her life to a number of reform causes, which included child labor and unemployment, world peace through her association with peace organizations and calls for world government, and an economic system based on democratic-socialist principles. [Read more…] about Trailblazing Women: Peace Activist Tracy Mygatt

How New Yorkers Challenged Militarism in Education

January 29, 2019 by Chuck Howlett Leave a Comment

As someone who has written extensively about the history of peace movements in American history, I was particularly encouraged by the noted historian Larry Wittner’s piece “New York’s Long History of Peace Activism,” which appeared in the New York History Blog.

In his excellent overview he mentioned the role of the Committee on Militarism in Education (C.M.E.), an organization that was New York-based and played a vital role as a watchdog in its efforts to check the growth and establishment of the Reserve Officers Training Program (R.O.T.C.) between the world wars.

Although there have been some scholarly works that discuss its role in peace activism, what has been missing is the important and vital role that New Yorkers played in creating and supporting its efforts to check military training in both higher and secondary education. [Read more…] about How New Yorkers Challenged Militarism in Education

Lebanon Shaker Museum Plans Peace Weekend

August 26, 2015 by Editorial Staff Leave a Comment

The Shaker Museum | Mount Lebanon will host a weekend of events and programs to commemorate over 200 years of Shaker pacifism, from Saturday, August 29 through Monday, August 31.

The Mount Lebanon Peace Weekend will consist of readings, a brunch and facilitated discussion about Shaker pacifist history, a panel of speakers currently active in the peace movement, and a special walking tour. [Read more…] about Lebanon Shaker Museum Plans Peace Weekend

New York’s Long History of Peace Activism

June 24, 2015 by Lawrence Wittner 2 Comments

As a scholarly specialist on the American peace movement, I am sometimes telephoned for background information by journalists writing articles about current demonstrations against war or against nuclear weapons. Almost invariably, they have no idea that the American peace movement has a rich history. Or, if they realize that it does have such a history, they have no idea that that history goes back further than the Vietnam War. This is a very big and unfortunate gap in their knowledge. [Read more…] about New York’s Long History of Peace Activism