This week marks the 40th anniversary of the Algoma Boulevard riot when an estimated 2,500 students demonstrated their dissatisfaction with President Nixon's decision to expand the war into Cambodia.
The 1970s marked a decade of political unrest and social change. UW-Oshkosh, then known as Wisconsin State University-Oshkosh, stood amidst the broken ground that once rooted our country's trust and confidence in its government.
During this time of tension, Algoma Boulevard was flooded with outraged students, barricades and police donning riot uniforms. Current UW-Oshkosh students would not recognize their campus had they gone back in time 40 years.
Although the violent protest ended in fury over the war expansion, it began as a simple display of student frustration with the high traffic volume on Algoma Boulevard. Associate history Professor Stephen Kercher said students were becoming concerned about motorists' lack of regard for pedestrians crossing the street.
When the student body government and the city council refused to do anything about the problem, students went to the street to rally. At 10 a.m. on May 1, 1970, students stationed themselves along Algoma Boulevard and handed out pamphlets that read, "The traffic problem is now reaching tragic proportions and some type of student action is needed now to protect student well-being." Eventually, the group of protesters grew to about 400 students. They quickly built barricades and closed off the road to traffic, renaming the road "‘Free Boulevard.'"
The barricades enraged community members who used the road during their workday.
"I wish I was driving a semi," one furious driver told a reporter at The Paper of Central Wisconsin. "I'd break this up in a hurry."
Student rage was fueled by the University's neglect of the traffic issue and President Nixon's April 30th announcement of the war expansion.
On May 4, 1970, a meeting was called by the Oshkosh Common Council to address the Algoma Boulevard issue. An estimated 250 students attended this meeting including a freshman from Evanston, Ill. who got irritated and yelled, "You've lied to us, and you've beat around the bush. Well, damn it, it's too late. I'm going into the streets and so is everybody else here!"
That evening, an estimated 1,000 students took to the streets. They barricaded the street, once again, set tires and trash on fire and began digging up a 30-foot stretch of Algoma Boulevard. The Winnebago County police stepped in and forced the students to retreat.
Riots on Algoma began again the next morning. The barricades that had been torn down were rebuilt and the street was flooded with 2,500 irate students who had heard of the student protesters who were killed at Kent State University. One student yelled, "It was the road until yesterday, now it's what happened at Kent State!"
The number of students grew throughout the day, and several hundred policemen were called in. Police, however, were still largely outnumbered so they decided not to use violence against the protesters.
Tensions were high when University President Roger Guiles issued a statement to all students and faculty saying, "The University greatly regrets the unlawful and willful interference with traffic on Algoma Boulevard. Such interference accomplishes no useful purpose and does violence to the right of others."
A later statement shows that the situation had become desperate. Guiles seemed to be pleading with students when he said, "Students, this is your university, and its reputation and safety must be important to you."
The protests resulted in numerous arrests on charges such as unlawful assembly, carrying a concealed weapon, possession of firecrackers and disorderly conduct.
A total of six policemen and one student were injured during the riot. The student, senior Carol Klitzke, was struck in the head with debris that was being thrown.
A house on Lincoln Street caught on fire after a firebomb was thrown near the house. When firefighters showed up to put the fire out, several enraged students pelted them with rocks.
After the house was set on fire, students were urged to consider the consequences of their actions.
As rage began to dilute, students decided to hold a memorial service for the four students that were killed at Kent State earlier in the week. Guiles offered to lower the campus flags to half-mast to honor the students who died. This helped cool the tension between the administration and students.
Later that evening, nearly 4,000 students and community members participated in a silent march down Main Street, signifying the end of the exhausting weeklong riot.
One student ringleader reflected on his actions and said, "What can we accomplish by violence? Nothing. What can we accomplish by peace and love? Everything."
More information on this event can be found online at www.uwosh.edu/archives/algoma.
Kercher, along with three UW-Oshkosh students, compiled information on the subject and encourages students to visit the site.
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