April Third Movement
Historical Archive
1971–1972
1971–1972
Franklin Firing
January 21, 1971
Letter to Richard Lyman from Bruce Franklin
Franklin’s letter to Richard W. Lyman, “the Chief Designated Agent of the Board of Trustees of Leland Stanford Junior University, Heirs of the Family Who Stole this Land and the Labor of Those Who Built Their Railroad, War Profiteers and Rulers of the U.S. Empire.”
January 26, 1971
Lyman to Franklin
First page of President Lyman’s letter to Bruce Franklin, in response to Franklin’s letter of January 21, 1971. The other page(s) are not in the paper file.
January 28, 1971
Report from the President to the Senate of the Academic Council
Lyman’s comments to the Senate regarding procedures in the Franklin case.
Also available in two parts:
February 25, 1971
Letter to Richard Lyman from Bruce Franklin
Franklin’s response to Lyman’s February 12th letter.
Also available in four parts:
March 12, 1971
Letter to Richard Lyman from Bruce Franklin
Franklin poses several questions pertaining to the constraints imposed on him making it difficult to gather evidence in his defense, and several questions concerning the need for his suspension from teaching during this period.
Faculty Position Papers
Part of a set of position papers on issues raised by the Franklin case; and a demand that “the Advisory Board refuse to make political conformity a condition of employment at the university …”
October 29, 1971
Article from Science
Brief article noting that Linus Pauling joined a picket line protesting the prosecution of Bruce Franklin.
January 19, 1972
Stanford Press Release
(1) “Faculty and student supporters of the Bruce Franklin Defense Fund will hold a news conference …January 24..” (2) “Students at Stanford disagree with the Advisory Board decision to dismiss Associate Prof H Bruce Franklin by a margin of 46 percent to 37 percent …”
January 19, 1972
Note to Board of Trustees from Bruce Franklin
“Thank you for your kind and generous permission to allow me to ‘comment in writing’ on the decision of your management to fire me.”
January 20, 1972
Stanford Press Release
Two undergraduate members of the Trustee’s Academic Affairs Committee warned that student interests will be “irreparably damaged” if Franklin’s dismissal is upheld by the Board of Trustees.
January 23, 1972
Letter from the Board of Trustees to the Stanford Faculty
“This letter is written to you on behalf of the Board of Trustees to express our deep concern that the decision on Saturday not be construed as any lessening of the Board’s continuing commitment to academic freedom at Stanford.”
January 24, 1972
Lyman Assesses, Defends Franklin Ouster
The Stanford Daily editors interview Lyman about firing Franklin.
January 29, 1972
The H. Bruce Franklin Case: Stanford Cracks Down on Leftist Disruption
Human Events Weekly article by Harvey Hukari on Franklin firing.
March 17, 1972
Academic Freedom at Stanford: Lessons of the Franklin Case
Science News and Comment article which begins, “Tenure is generally acknowledged to be an important safeguard of academic freedom, but whether the system in practice protects holders of extreme views is open to question. A case in point is the recent dismissal of Associate Professor H. Bruce Franklin by Stanford University…”
Also available in two parts:
May, 1972
The Bruce Franklin Affair
Article by Rachelle Marshall, published in The Progressive.
Also available in two parts:
In the Matter of H. Bruce Franklin
New York Times Magazine article by Kenneth Lamott who discusses of the Franklin case and tenure at universities. (No date on the copy.)
Also available in four parts:
The Bruce Franklin Legal Fund
Undated flyer asking for contributions to the Bruce Franklin Legal Fund.
Interview: H. Bruce Franklin
Chapparal interview by Linda Moulton. No date is shown on the copy.
February 13, 1974
H. Bruce Franklin Accepts Job at Wesleyan U.
Palo Alto Times story.
May 30, 1979
Giraud Says It’s Time to Refresh the Campus Memory on the Franklin Case
View of Raymond Giraud, Professor of French, published in the Campus Report, regarding the Santa Clara Superior Court invitation to “reconsideration of Professor Bruce Franklin’s firing by the University."