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Self-immolation of George Winne Jr.

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This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Kire1975 (talk | contribs) at 10:48, 15 May 2024 (→Memorials: kevin stowe was a fellow graduate student who tried to help winne, as mentioned in the article. stowe is not mentioned in the citation in this paragraph and is not mentioned to be his cousin anywhere.). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

George Winne Jr.
Born(1947-04-02)April 2, 1947
Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
DiedMay 11, 1970(1970-05-11) (aged 23)
La Jolla, California, U.S.
Cause of deathBurns from self-immolation

George Winne Jr. (April 2, 1947 – May 11, 1970) was an American student who, in protest of the United States' involvement in the Vietnam War, set himself on fire in an act of self-immolation at Revelle Plaza on the campus of the University of California, San Diego. The incident took place less than a month after the American invasion of Cambodia and one week after the Kent State Massacre.[1] Winne's act was inspired by the self-immolation of Buddhist monk Thích Quảng Đức in 1963 in response to the persecution of Buddhists by the regime of minority Catholic President Ngo Dinh Diem.[citation needed]

Death

Slightly after 4pm on Sunday, May 10, George Winne lit gasoline soaked rags on his body in Revelle Plaza on the UCSD campus and began running, carrying a sign reading "In God's name, End this war." Graduate student Keith Stowe knocked him down and then Stowe and others smothered the flames with their jackets. Winne suffered third and fourth degree burns over 95 percent of his body, and he died at Scripps Hospital at 2am on the 11th of May, 1970.[2]

At noon on May 11, a memorial service was held in Revelle Plaza. Speakers included history professor and chair of the faculty senate Gabriel Jackson and philosophy professor Herbert Marcuse.

Memorials

The Winne Memorial at UCSD, looking south toward the Price Center ATMs.

For decades, faculty and students held vigils in remembrance of Winne in Revelle Park.[1] In 2013, a group of students studying the history of progressive activism at UC San Diego, proposed a "memory site" near the location of Winne's act.[citation needed] In the winter of 2014, a "May 1970 Peace Memorial", was installed in Revelle Plaza.[1]

Plaque in honor of Winne at the University of California, San Diego campus.

A small plaque was also installed on the ground near the memorial, which reads "In honor of George Winne Jr. Who immolated himself in Revelle Plaza in protest of the Vietnam war in 1970. He held a sign that read 'In the name of God, end the war'".

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c Clark, Christine (2014-02-06). "New Campus Memorial Honors Protesters for Peace". UC San Diego Today. Archived from the original on 2022-12-01. Retrieved 2014-02-06.
  2. ^ Joyner, Owen (May 12, 1970). "Student Sets Self Afire; Dies to Protest War" (PDF). Triton Times. Retrieved October 18, 2021.
  • Keen, H. "San Diego student who set self afire in war protest dies", Los Angeles Times, May 12, 1970
  • Joyner, Owen. "Student Sets Self Afire; Dies to Protest War," UCSD Triton Times, May 12, 1970
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