| 1960 |
Abbie Hoffman said he was "pychologically born" in this year. |
| October, 1967 |
Hoffman arrested while attempting to measure the Pentagon. |
| December, 1967 |
Hoffman and Rubin meet to discuss possibility of having demonstrations at the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago. |
| January 24, 1968 |
The National Mobilization Committee (MOBE) meets in New York to discuss possible demonstrations in Chicago. Dellinger, Davis, and Hayden are in attendence. |
| March 17, 1968 |
A press conference is held to announce that the Yippies will sponsor a "Festival of Life" in Chicago during the upcoming Democratic Convention. |
| March 23, 1968 |
A meeting sponsored by MOBE is held near Chicago to debate whether to hold demonstrations at the Convention. In attendence are Dellinger, Davis, Hayden, Hoffman, and Rubin. |
| March 26, 1968 |
Yippies submit application for demonstrations to Chicago Parks Department. |
| April 11, 1968 |
Amid concerns about rising protests of the Viet Nam War, Congress enacts the Anti-Riot Act of 1968. |
| August 5, 1968 |
Deputy Mayor Stahl indicates his unwillingness to grant permit application for sleeping in Chicago parks. |
| August 9, 1968 |
A National Mobilization Committee meeting is held in Chicago to discuss planned demonstrations. Davis allegedly suggests disrupting traffic and creating havoc in the Loop. |
| August 14, 1968 |
ACLU suit seeking an injunction requiring issuance of permit is withdrawn after hearing amid concerns that court might instead enjoin demonstrators. |
| August 22, 1968 |
Davis tells city officials it would be "suicide" not to allow demonstrators to sleep in city parks. |
| August 23, 1968 |
Classes are held in Lincoln Park on karate, snake dancing, and other means of self-defense. Police post "11 p.m. curfew" signs in park trees. |
| August 24, 1968 |
A meeting is held to discuss whether to obey city's 11 p.m. curfew. |
| August 25, 1968 |
Police club persons attending a music festival in Lincoln Park who refuse to leave at curfew. Davis and Hayden meet to lead march to the Conrad Hilton, the main Convention hotel. At 9 p.m., police confront and attack some demonstrators. Rubin allegedly urges demonstrators to attack police. At 10:30 p.m., two police officers observe Hayden letting the air out of tires of their police car. |
| August 26, 1968 |
Hoffman calls Deputy Mayor Stahl to protest decision to forcibly drive people out of park. Hayden is arrested in the afternoon for the squad car incident. Hoffman and Rubin allegedly urge demonstrators to hold Lincoln Park. Davis urges demonstrators "Don't let the pigs take the hill (high ground near a statue in the park)." About 3,000 demonstrators gathered in park for chanting, singing songs, and talking are attacked by police with clubs and tear gas after 11 p.m. curfew. |
| August 27, 1968 |
Allan Ginsberg leads a sunrise service that includes chanting, prayers, and meditation. About 4,000 gather at a rally in the Chicago Coliseum to hear Dellinger, Hoffman, folksinger Phil Ochs, novelist William Burroughs and others. A planned march to the Amphitheatre, site of the Democratic National Convention, is discussed. Bobby Seale addressed a crowd of about 2,000 in Lincoln Park. Seale's address is observed by undercover police officer Robert Pierson. At 11:20 p.m. in Lincoln Park, police charge and beat demonstrators. Some enraged demonstrators smash windows and streetlights. Violent encounters between police and demonstrators occur in the streets near Grant Park. |
| August 28, 1968 |
Hoffman is arrested while having breakfast for having the word "Fuck" on his forehead. Dellinger, Seale, Davis, and Hayden address 10,000 to 15,000 demonstrators at the bandshell in Grant Park, opposite the Hilton. Democrats nominate Hubert Humphrey as their candidate for President. Dellinger announces that he will lead a march to the Amphitheatre. The march is stopped by police. Demonstators are attacked by police with teargas and clubs at Balbo and Michigan and other locations in the area. |
| August 29, 1968 |
Senator Eugene McCarthy, Dick Gregory are among others who address a crowd in Grant Park. Hoffman allegedly proposes the kidnapping of Superintendent Rochford. |
| November 5, 1968 |
Nixon narrowly defeats Humphrey in the presidential election. Many blame Humphrey's defeat on the rioting and division at the Democratic Convention. |
| March 20, 1969 |
A federal grand jury indicts the Chicago Eight. |
| April 9, 1969 |
The Chicago Eight are arraigned. |
| August, 1969 |
Bobby Seale is arrested in connection with Connecticut charges of murder. |
| September 24, 1969 |
The trial of the Chicago Eight begins in Chicago before Judge Julius Hoffman. |
| October 29 to November 3, 1969 |
Because of his courtroom outbursts, Bobby Seale is ordered bound and gagged. |
| November 5, 1969 |
The trial of Seale is severed from the trial of what now becomes the Chicago Seven. |
| February 14, 1970 |
The case goes to the jury. |
| February 18, 1970 |
The jury returns its verdict, finding five of the seven defendants guilty of violating the Anti-Riot Act of 1968. Froines and Weiner are acquitted. |
| February 20, 1970 |
Judge Hoffman sentences the convicted defendants. |
| May 11, 1972 |
The Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals reverses the contempt convictions of the Chicago Seven and their two defense attorneys, Leonard Weinglass and William Kunstler. |
| November 21, 1972 |
The Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals reverses the convictions of Hoffman, Rubin, Dellinger, Davis, and Hayden. |
| 1974 |
Hoffman has plastic surgery and goes underground in upstate New York for seven years to avoid trial on cocaine charges. He serves a sentence in a work-release program in 1981-82. |
| 1983 |
Judge Julius Hoffman dies at age 87. |
| April 12, 1989 |
Abbie Hoffman commits suicide at age 52. |
| November 28, 1994 |
Jerry Rubin dies after being hit by a car while jaywalking. |
| 1995 |
William Kunstler dies of a heart attack. |
| August, 1996 |
Tom Hayden, state senator, is a California delegate to the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. Rennie Davis, activist and personal growth lecturer, is also in town. |
| August 27, 1998 |
David Dellinger, aged 83, is arrested while demonstrating at a nuclear reactor. |
