Robert Roth (activist) - Students For A Democratic Society

Students For A Democratic Society

Roth was recruited to join SDS at Columbia University by Mark Rudd and John Jacobs during his freshmen year at Columbia University. In 1969 he was elected leader of SDS when he decided he would not finish school at Columbia and would instead focus on fighting the revolution. That same year he dropped out of school to avoid disciplinary charges and to commit himself to revolutionary organization. He spent that summer working with an SDS community organizing project in the Inwood section of New York City.

Roth sided with black students that opposed building the Columbia University gym in Harlem in 1968, which was intended to grant African Americans limited access to facilities and was clearly an act of segregation. Roth also opposed the University's contribution to the Department of Defense in the form of research and military recruiting. These oppositions resulted in a series of direct actions, including strikes and building takeovers. He led building occupations at Columbia University. SDS leader Robert Roth was the contact for the Low library occupation where he noted the "great communal feeling" of those occupying the library during the take-over. The 1968 Summer session started with protests led by Roth, then a sophomore, Paul Rockwell and Stuart Gedal. On 116th and Broadway, at the university's gates, Roth led "liberation classes" in which he taught passing students about pressing matters. In September 1968 Robert Roth held a meeting along with other students Josephine Duke, Stuart Gedal and Mike Golash to demand that the Morningside Gym construction stop. Roth demanded Dr Andrew W. Cordier, Columbia's acting President, to end racist and militaristic actions at the university. Roth was part of a group who participated in attempting to force administrators of Columbia University to allow SDS members expelled from school to register for the following term. As a member of the SDS steering committee, Roth chastised Dr. Cordiers for refusing to lift the 42 suspensions for the expelled students, as he claimed it signified "an attempt to split our movement." During his time with the steering committee, Roth, along with 200 other SDS members, participated in the capture of Philosophy Hall at Columbia University on April 17, 1969. On April 17, 1969 and May 1, 1969 Roth participated in taking over and barricading the halls. Roth asserted, "We are showing that University that every time it helps the war in Vietnam we will exact reprisals." This quotation was in response to news that the university was accepting NASA research grants by allowing military recruitment on campus. A later FBI surveillance file from COINTELPRO confirmed Robert Roth was a participant in the Columbia student strike. He was also identified as a member of SDS and a negotiator for the Low library strikers.

On May 2, 1969 they released control of two buildings: Fayerweather and Mathematics Halls. In 1969, Roth led another Columbia strike. He was arrested June 10, 1969,found guilty, and he served 30 days in prison in New York City and fined $100 for disregarding the ban of disruptions on Morningside campus.

Following his release from jail, Roth worked from August – October 1969 on the National Action Staff (NAS) for the SDS national office. In this capacity,he helped plan for the coming National Action, also known as the "Days of Rage."

On September 15, 1969, Roth, along with seven other men and women, was arrested for refusing to stop passing out anti-war pamphlets to motorists. Roth, then 19 years old, was charged with obstructing traffic and disorderly conduct. He was fined $100.

After his release Roth resumed his work as a member of the NAS on September 17, 1969. He continued discussing plans for activities in Chicago. The Chicago demonstration was discussed as an opportunity to bring their politics to the streets in order to topple the system.

Weatherman had emerged from SDS by late 1969. They sent Roth to Chicago where he noticed the heavy police presence. SDS applied for demonstration permits for a demonstration and march on October 11 of 1969 and held a conference at city hall. Roth noted that the deputy mayor would not commit to providing a permit, but assured the people that this demonstration would happen with or without a permit. In the fall of 1969 the 'red squad,' a plain-clothes Chicago police squad, formed and focused on Weather activity in Chicago. Multiple accounts say that they forcefully entered a Weatherman hide-out and hung Robert Roth out of the window by his ankles in a raid.