Apathy and Activism in the Heartland: The Antiwar Movement at the University of Nebraska, 1965–1970

Abstract

In the history of the anti–Vietnam War movement at nonelite universities, there is little more than passing reference to the University of Nebraska. However, by analyzing archival materials from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln's Don Love Memorial Library, this article posits that students at Nebraska's flagship university were deeply concerned with the war in Southeast Asia. Although less active than the antiwar movements on other campuses, Nebraska's protests complicate our understanding of the politically complacent, or inherently conservative, Midwestern campus. Student activists at Nebraska succeeded in shifting local culture toward inclusion and communication. They also brought about a change in administrative bureaucracy that amplified the volume of student voices.