During the Vietnam War era, the state of Maryland was a host to a significant number of anti-war activities. On May 1, 1970, just one day after President Nixon’s announcement of the U.S. invasion of Cambodia, over one thousand anti-war protestors occupied Route One, ransacked the ROTC armory on campus, and engaged both state and local police in, often violent, confrontations. However, this was only the beginning; just three days later, a rally was held on the mall. Within an hour, students occupied both the Administration Building and Route One. This thirteen hour long ordeal not only marked the beginning of a three-week series of violent protests, but also sought out the attention of the National Guard. Five-hundred National Guard, three hundred-fifty state police, seventy PG County Police, and two-hundred Baltimore City police were mobilized in order to subdue over four-thousand students. I believe this radicalization helped spark a call for the rights of college students and helped construct several aspects of the University of Maryland’s current mission and goals statement. Whether it be attempting to nurture and encourage innovation by providing collaborations with State, federal, private, and non-profit partners or to create and apply knowledge that nourishes a climate of intellectual growth the University of Maryland focuses on providing students with an optimal environment for success. Thanks to the efforts of the students on the famous McKeldin Mall, we have made large steps to get to where we are today.
