Attack of the Minutemen

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On this week's Peace of History:
We recall that fateful attack upon the Voluntown Peace Trust that occurred in the pre-dawn hours of August 24, 1968. That night, 51 years ago, five armed members of the right-wing vigilante group the Minuteman Project stormed the main house with the apparent intention to burn down the buildings of the farm, with the ultimate goal of ending the peace movement here in southeastern CT. Due to a somewhat confusing but ultimately vital intervention by State Police and the FBI, the Minutemen's violent goals were thwarted.

We recall that frightful night, but more importantly, we recall VPT's immediate response to the attack: the construction of two new buildings (the A.J. Muste Center and the Swann House), the remodeling of already existing facilities, and a general renewed vigor for peace activism. Rather than focus on the failure of the Minutemen attack and other attempts to remove us, we instead commemorate the resilience of VPT and the creative work that sprang forth after the dust had settled. This week, we celebrate VPT's unwavering commitment to nonviolent activism through over five decades -- and we are proud to continue that legacy of nonviolent activist training, local community engagement, and the promotion of peace and justice for all.

Next week: We will share a little Peace of History about Robert "Bob" Swann, a student of famous architect Frank Lloyd Wright and one of the co-founders of VPT, who built a house on the property in the style of Wright's affordable Usonian homes.

(To learn more about the Minuteman Project attack on VPT, check out the recent article from CTExplored.org: https://www.ctexplored.org/sampler-the-day-peace-was-shatt…/)
#tbt #throwbackthursday