William Kunstler Chicago 7 Lecture Poster (1970)
An event poster for a lecture by William Kunstler, the civil rights activist and lawyer for the Chicago Seven, on April 8, 1970 at the McMillin Theater (now renamed the Miller Theater) at Columbia University in New York City.
The Chicago Seven were Abbie Hoffman, Jerry Rubin, Rennie Davis, David Dellinger, John Froines, Tom Hayden and Lee Weiner. They were charged by the U.S. government with conspiracy and crossing state lines with the intent to incite a riot, along with other charges related to the anti-Vietnam War protests during the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago. Originally they were referred to as the Chicago Eight but a case against co-defendant Bobby Seale was declared a mistrial. The original trial began in the fall of 1969. The judge handed down jail sentences to all defendants for contempt of court, including over four years for Kunstler himself, but that sentence was stayed to allow him to work on an appeal. Through various appeals some charges were dropped. Eventually in the fall of 1972 all of the criminal convictions were reversed. The date of April, 1970 for this lecture would have been amidst the political theater of the trials, and just six weeks after the Chicago Seven where released from jail on the contempt charges.
The lecture was billed as a benefit for the "Conspiracy Defense Fund" and contributions would be collected. It was sponsored by the Teachers College Student Senate. The Teachers College is the graduate school of education at Columbia University. Item #1534.
Condition: Very Good, folded across the middle.
Price: $65.00