On a morning in 1967, over 2,500 antiwar and antidraft protesters gathered outside the U.S. Armed Forces Induction Center at 39 Whitehall Street in New York City, leading to the arrest of 264 individuals, including Dr. Benjamin Spock and poet Allen Ginsberg. Though mostly peaceful, the protest was meant as a symbolic gesture, with organizers planning a more disruptive demonstration the following day. Despite the large police presence and heightened tensions, the induction process continued uninterrupted. While some protesters alleged police aggression, officials—including Mayor Lindsay—praised the police for their restraint. The demonstration highlighted the growing antiwar sentiment and set the stage for further resistance to the Vietnam War.

In 1967, the anti-Vietnam War movement saw massive protests against the draft, with draft card burnings and marches becoming prominent symbols of resistance. These protests, often involving civil disobedience, aimed to stop the draft and challenge the government's policies in Vietnam.&nbsp;

Anti-Vietnam War movement

site of the Day

This memorial commemorates those Americans who fought in Vietnam. Excerpts from letters written by men and women who served during the war are etched into the memorial’s glass block and granite wall.

Vietnam Veterans Plaza 

New York Vietnam Veterans Memorial

Anne Lewison, architect and board member of cultureNOW, reads a selection from the book, Manhattan Outdoor Sculpture, by Margot Gayle and Michele Cohen, about the New York Vietnam Veterans Memorial at 55 Water Street.