Athens Human Rights Festival

The University of Georgia Free Speech Task Force organized the Memorial Students' Rights Festival at Legion Field on Friday, May 4, 1979 commemorating the ninth anniversary of the Kent State murders. Gene Guerrero (Director - Georgia American Civil Liberties Union) urged students to oppose the reinstatement of the draft. Athens attorney Hue Henry criticized UGA President Fred Davison's "pattern of arrogance" and supported the Free Speech Task Force's lawsuit against the Board of Regents' policy of preventing students from addressing Board meetings. Gary Appelson (Athenians for Clean Energy) appealed for unity to fight nuclear power. Promoting solar energy, Appelson said, "We think we are free to go to war and to interfere in the Middle East. Americans are oil junkies." Tommy Jordan played acoustic guitar and has performed at every festival since.
In 1980 the name of the event was changed by Michael A. Collins to the Human Rights Festival and this later would be recognized as the 2nd annual festival.
 
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