The radical student takeover of Columbia University in 1968 sparked a worldwide student protest movement: From Eastern Europe to South America, students rose up against authoritarian governments, racial inequality and, most passionately, against the war in Vietnam. Host Phillip Martin talks to African American studies professor Stefan Bradley about how the Columbia uprising inspired similar events at the Democratic National Convention on Aug. 28, 1968, and to historian Michael Kazin, who was arrested for his activism at that DNC.

Both guests were student organizers: Kazin orchestrated a takeover of Harvard University in the ‘60s, and Bradley combatted racial discrimination at Gonzaga University. Bradley was also on the ground in Ferguson, Missouri, among the young people protesting the killing of Michael Brown. He reflects on what current movements can learn from the protests of 1968.

Read more in this accompanying article from Stefan M. Bradley: 1968 protests at Columbia University called attention to ‘Gym Crow’ and got worldwide attention.

Music: “How to Evade a Place With No Wall” by Komiku, found on FreeMusicArchive.org, licensed under CC0 1.0.