Historic FSM photos inside Sproul Hall, Dec 3-4, 1964

For the first time, I have posted below photographs I took during the Free Speech Movement Sproul Hall sit in. These include images of Mario Savio, Jack Weinberg, and Joan Baez in the corridors of Sproul. They also show the police charging up the stairs to take control of the window on the second floor, a window that was being used to take food and information in from outside sympathizers. I was arrested, and I spent the next night in the Oakland jail. I was pleased that the police did not destroy the film. (The camera was an old pocket Leica, and it was not obvious how to remove the film.) The pictures were taken without flash, ISO 400 Tri-X film. After I was released, I printed the photos, and gave copies to the FSM lawyers. They instructed me to keep them private, but they never used them. So finally, here they are. Most of them show events that were not captured by any other photographer. A few of them (e.g. the photo of Chancellor Strong and his bullhorn) have appeared elsewhere without proper attribution to me.

I was a graduate student in physics at the time. I believe that I was the only student arrested in the FSM to later become a professor at Berkeley. My name is Richard A. Muller, and my main web site is www.muller.lbl.gov.

Click on any photo for a larger image. If you wish to use any of these, or if you know the names of any of the people in the photos, please contact me at ramuller@berkeley.edu.

Mario Savio in Sproul Hall
Mario Savio in Sproul Hall. The FSM sit-in begins
Jack Weinberg
Jack Weinberg leading a class on passive resistance, in Sproul Hall, evening of Dec 3, 1964
Joan Baez in Sproul Hall
Joan Baez in Sproul Hall, evening of Dec 3, 1964. She left before the arrests began.
Food facilities during the FSM sit in
Food facilities in Sproul Hall during the FSM sit in. Many of the students had been involved in the Freedom Rides, and they knew how to keep the crowd organized.
Lost and Found
Lost and Found and Press Table, set up in Sproul Hall during the FSM sit in, 1964
students kept out
The police locked the doors, letting demonstrators out but not in. Student to the left is Richard Muller. (Photo by Richard Shavitz). The policeman may be John Teel.
Reporters in Sproul Hall during FSM sit in
Reporters take photos inside Sproul Hall during the FSM sit in
Students in hallways of Sproul Hall, FSM sit in, Dec 1964
Students in the corridors of Sproul Hall, during the FSM sit in, Dec 3, 1964
Sproul Hall corridor
Sproul Hall corridor during the FSM sit in
Chancellor Strong and bull horn, FSM in Sproul Hall
Chancellor Edward Strong announcing, with bull horn, that students must leave immediately or face arrest
Chancellor Strong departs
After demanding that students leave, Chancellor Strong enters elevator to make the announcement on the next floor
Police survey second floor of Sproul Hall
The police look over the second floor of Sproul. They are at the head of the stairs. In a few minutes they will charge up those stairs. A film photographer is present. Who is it?
The police charge up the stairs towards the 2nd floor window in Sproul Hall
Police charge up the stairs to the 2nd floor of Sproul Hall, FSM sit in, early morning of Dec 4, 1964.
Police and students, Sproul Hall FSM 1964
Police and students vie for the 2nd floor of Sproul. Students sing "We shall overcome" to keep up their courage.
Police work their way to the Sproul Hall window, FSM 1964
Police work their way to the window by stepping over students. Second floor of Sproul Hall, early morning of Dec 4, 1964.
Police on 2nd floor of Sproul
FSM, Sproul Hall on early morning of Dec 4, 1964. Police trying to take the window area
Pollice reaching Sproul Hall Window
Police reaching the 2nd floor window of Sproul Hall during FSM sit in
Police taking the window
Police taking the window on the 2nd floor of Sproul. They considered this a strategic objective, since food and information flowed through the window.
Police take Sproul Hall window area
Police working their way to the window of Sproul Hall
FSM030
Police push students away from window, closing off communication with students outside. Sproul Hall, FSM, Dec 4, 1964.
Window seige
Poor photo of the window seige. Put here for historical completeness.
Officials and Police
Officials join the police on the 2nd floor of Sproul Hall
Police and University officials up on second floor of Sproul
The police and University officials on the 2nd floor of Sproul, FSM sit in
pandemonium
The Police have taken the stairs and the window area
Police preparing to arrest students
Police preparing to make arrests. The policeman at the bottom is talking with students.
Police on in Sproul Hall
Police in Sproul Hall
Arrests begin, FSM in Sproul Hall
Arrests begin. The student is passively resistant, and is being dragged to the stairwell. Note the shoes of the student, lower left center.
FSM Strike FreeVersity
FSM strike, following the arrests. The poster shows the "FreeVersity Classes" set up so students could continue education during the strike.
Pickets on Bancroft after the FSM arrests
Pickets on Bancroft after the FSM arrests
Richard Muller with FSM sign
Richard Muller, with picket sign, after he was released from the Oakland Jail. FSM, December 1964. The campanile is in the background. Is he truly the only arrestee to later become a professor at Cal?