A 1960s radical leader who co-founded the Weather Underground, a militant group that bombed government buildings to protest the Vietnam War, and later became a professor and children's rights advocate.
Bernardine Dohrn is a name synonymous with radical activism and controversy in the United States. As a former leader of the Weather Underground, a militant organization that sought to overthrow the U.S. government, Dohrn was once on the FBI's 10 Most Wanted list and remains a polarizing figure to this day.
Dohrn was born Bernardine Ohrnstein on January 12, 1942, in Chicago, Illinois, to a Jewish father and a Christian Scientist mother of Swedish descent. She spent most of her childhood in Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin, where she was raised in an upper-middle-class family. Her father changed the family surname to Dohrn when Bernardine was in high school, allegedly to obscure his Jewish roots.
Dohrn graduated from Whitefish Bay High School, where she was an accomplished student and editor of the school newspaper. She attended Miami University in Ohio for a year before transferring to the University of Chicago, where she earned her B.A. in political science in 1963. Dohrn went on to earn her J.D. from the University of Chicago Law School in 1967.
In the late 1960s, Dohrn became involved with the Students for a Democratic Society (SDS), a radical student organization that sought to challenge the U.S. government's role in the Vietnam War. As a leader of the SDS, Dohrn became increasingly radicalized, eventually co-founding the Weather Underground in 1969 with her future husband, Bill Ayers.
The Weather Underground was a militant organization that sought to overthrow the U.S. government through violent means. Dohrn's leadership and rhetoric became increasingly incendiary, earning her a spot on the FBI's 10 Most Wanted list in 1970. During her time on the list, Dohrn remained a fugitive, even after being removed from the list.
In 1980, Dohrn surrendered to authorities and pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges of aggravated battery and bail jumping. She was sentenced to three years' probation and a $1,500 fine.
After her legal troubles, Dohrn went on to work as an attorney at the Sidley Austin law firm in the 1980s. From 1991 to 2013, she was a Clinical Associate Professor of Law at the Children and Family Justice Center at Northwestern University School of Law.
Dohrn's legacy is complex and contested. While some view her as a pioneering figure in radical activism, others see her as a dangerous and violent extremist. Her involvement with the Weather Underground has been linked to several bombings and violent incidents, including the death of a police officer in 1970.
Despite her controversial past, Dohrn has continued to advocate for social justice causes, including children's rights and prison reform. Her marriage to Bill Ayers, a fellow Weather Underground co-founder, has been a subject of controversy, with some accusing the couple of romanticizing violence and terrorism.
Today, Dohrn continues to be a polarizing figure in American politics, with some hailing her as a visionary and others condemning her as a dangerous radical. Regardless, her legacy serves as a testament to the tumultuous and radical spirit of the 1960s and 1970s.
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Co-founder of the Youth International Party, a counterculture movement that used street theater and satire to protest the Vietnam War and promote social change. Known for his unconventional tactics and charismatic leadership.
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A prominent figure in the 1960s counterculture movement, known for his anti-war activism and authoring the Port Huron Statement, a manifesto for the Students for a Democratic Society.
