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The Catonsville Nine: A Story of Faith and Resistance in the Vietnam Era
On May 17th, 1968, a group of Catholic antiwar activists burst into a draft board in suburban Baltimore, stole hundreds of Selective Service records (which they called "death certificates"), and burned the documents in a fire fueled by homemade napalm. The bold actions of the ''Catonsville Nine'' quickly became international news and captured headlines throughout the summer and fall of 1968 when the activists, defended by radical attorney William Kunstler, were tried in federal court.
In The Catonsville Nine , Shawn Francis Peters, a Catonsville native, offers the first comprehensive account of this key event in the history of 1960's protest. While thousands of supporters thronged the streets outside the courthouse, the Catonsville Nine--whose ranks included activist priests Philip and Daniel Berrigan--delivered passionate indictments of the war in Vietnam and the brutality of American foreign policy. The proceedings reached a stirring climax, as the nine activists led the entire courtroom (the judge and federal prosecutors included) in the Lord's Prayer. Peters gives readers vivid, blow-by-blow accounts of the draft raid, the trial, and the ensuing manhunt for the Berrigans, George Mische, and Mary Moylan, who went underground rather than report to prison. He also examines the impact of Daniel Berrigan's play, The Trial of the Catonsville Nine , and the larger influence of this remarkable act of civil disobedience. More than 40 years after they stormed the draft
board, the Catonsville Nine are still invoked by both secular and religious opponents of militarism.
Based on a wealth of sources, including archival documents, the activists' previously unreleased FBI files, and a variety of eyewitness accounts, The Catonsville Nine tells a story as relevant and instructive today as it was in 1968.
In The Catonsville Nine , Shawn Francis Peters, a Catonsville native, offers the first comprehensive account of this key event in the history of 1960's protest. While thousands of supporters thronged the streets outside the courthouse, the Catonsville Nine--whose ranks included activist priests Philip and Daniel Berrigan--delivered passionate indictments of the war in Vietnam and the brutality of American foreign policy. The proceedings reached a stirring climax, as the nine activists led the entire courtroom (the judge and federal prosecutors included) in the Lord's Prayer. Peters gives readers vivid, blow-by-blow accounts of the draft raid, the trial, and the ensuing manhunt for the Berrigans, George Mische, and Mary Moylan, who went underground rather than report to prison. He also examines the impact of Daniel Berrigan's play, The Trial of the Catonsville Nine , and the larger influence of this remarkable act of civil disobedience. More than 40 years after they stormed the draft
board, the Catonsville Nine are still invoked by both secular and religious opponents of militarism.
Based on a wealth of sources, including archival documents, the activists' previously unreleased FBI files, and a variety of eyewitness accounts, The Catonsville Nine tells a story as relevant and instructive today as it was in 1968.
416 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2012
About the author
Shawn Francis Peters
11 books24 followersAn internationally-recognized expert on religious liberty issues, Shawn Peters has been featured by CNN, PBS, Court TV, Time magazine, The New York Times, and The Wall Street Journal. He is the author of four books and has twice been recognized by the American Society of Legal Writers for outstanding achievement. He currently teaches in the Integrated Liberal Studies Program at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
December 31, 2013
Fascinating book, the type I would have a hard time finishing in my daily life because it takes some commitment--I managed because it was Christmas and I was sick. Glad I finished it!
September 3, 2012
This is the first full-length treatment on the Catonsville Nine, and it is one of the best, most easily accessible histories of the confused and confusing 1960s I've read. In this microcosm of the era, Shawn Peters' relaxed writing style is perfectly suited to telling the story of these nine Vietnam protesters, both before and since the incident. His research is thorough and balanced, rare in discussing this still sensitive time period.
For the first time, the Nine are individualized from one another. Until this work, they (and most other Vietnam protesters) were part of the collective liberal ethos -- now, there are personalities and histories to go along with the names. For this reason alone Shawn Peters has done Modern Studies a great service, but his book goes far beyond this, humanizing the group while never making them the obvious heroes and heroines of the piece.
The unincorporated town of Catonsville is also delineated from the mass of suburbs that surround Baltimore. The village itself becomes a character. The controversy that the draft-files-burning incident spurred is well presented (and the fact that 45 years on, it still divides the citizens), as well as the incident itself (previously pretty sketchily drawn).
An enjoyable and important work, accessible to all interested readers.
It might be necessary to disclose that I was of some assistance to Dr Peters in his research.
For the first time, the Nine are individualized from one another. Until this work, they (and most other Vietnam protesters) were part of the collective liberal ethos -- now, there are personalities and histories to go along with the names. For this reason alone Shawn Peters has done Modern Studies a great service, but his book goes far beyond this, humanizing the group while never making them the obvious heroes and heroines of the piece.
The unincorporated town of Catonsville is also delineated from the mass of suburbs that surround Baltimore. The village itself becomes a character. The controversy that the draft-files-burning incident spurred is well presented (and the fact that 45 years on, it still divides the citizens), as well as the incident itself (previously pretty sketchily drawn).
An enjoyable and important work, accessible to all interested readers.
It might be necessary to disclose that I was of some assistance to Dr Peters in his research.
October 22, 2013
An enjoyable and thoroughly researched history of one radical antiwar '60s action that does much to explain the idealisms and excesses of the decade. The Berrigans are the central figures but Peters brings to vivid life a number of lesser known actors, and the trial provides the dramatic structure that only trials can.
May 6, 2017
A powerful display of faith in action, the story of how nine Catholics went into a draft office in Catonsville, Maryland, made off with several hundred draft cards, which they then burned in the parking lot using homemade napalm. They stood around the fire saying the Lord's Prayer. This book tells the story of how they got there and what happened next.
July 25, 2016
Researched almost to a fault. Although there are some juicy tidbits, it's a pretty dry read.
May 30, 2018
I thought this book was thought-provoking and informative. That being said, like other reviewers, I found it challenging to get through (more than 6 weeks) and a bit dry. Sometimes I felt it was a little redundant; however, with the length of time it took me to read it, I suppose there were times the redundancy helped. I appreciated that the author took the time to delve into the lives of each of the 9. There were issues and organizations covered/referenced in the book that I was not aware of and now wish to read more about (the oppression in Guatemala and Central America that some of the nine were so passionate about; I had never heard of the Weather Underground, etc.). I was born in the mid 70s and these issues never made it into my school history lessons. Overall, I am glad I read it.
July 15, 2018
Well researched and fair account of the Catonsville 9 protests and those who participated. Incredibly relevant during today’s volatile political times. This past May was the 50th anniversary of the Catonsville 9 action and is the reason why I chose the book.
October 15, 2020
A well written, well researched, and well balanced account of the Catonsville Nine, their lives before, the choices that led them to their witness, their lives after, and the legacy they left behind. An excellent book all around.
November 16, 2013
I had litttle knowledge of The Catonsville Nine prior to reading this. The author did an excellent job of weaving me through the era, the personalities, and the controversy. His obvious passion for the story kept me riveted. I finished with a sense of awe, respect, and a certain amount of sadness for "The Nine" which is, I'm sure, exactly as the author wanted. Bravo!
May 11, 2013
The question is whether or not an action can be justified on a moral basis even if it violates the civil law. History is replete with examples, from Jesus to Socrates, to Thoreau, to Gandhi, to Martin Luther King Jr. The Catonsville 9 tried to make this case into a moral argument about the Vietnam War. They lost in the courtroom, but did they win in the realm of a higher law of morality?
January 14, 2015
A compelling story made more so by Peters' depth of research. The details in this book bring the characters to life, providing insight into the people behind the act
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews