A lecture on the speaker’s father’s activities (William Davidon) related to the burglary of the FBI office in Media, PA.

 

In March of 1971, before Edward Snowden was even born, a group calling themselves the Citizens’ Commission to Investigate the FBI broke in to a small FBI office in Media, Pennsylvania and discovered documents that exposed dragnet government surveillance and illegal activities conducted by J. Edgar Hoover that changed history.  My father, William C Davidon, was the one that asked this question of a small group of people that he trusted, “What would you think of breaking in to an FBI office?” There were rumors that the FBI was spying on college campuses, peaceful anti-war groups, and civil rights leaders, yet nobody could provide the proof.  My father – a physicist – wanted to find a more aggressive but non-violent means to provide hard evidence that would expose injustices and protect civil liberties.  As history repeats itself in many ways today, it is imperative that we continue to find ways to protect the principles of democracy.

 

Sarah Davidon was 3 years old at the time of the 1971 Media action.  She grew up in Haverford, Pennsylvania where her father was a physics and mathematics professor and mother a freelance writer.  From an early age, Sarah’s parents would actively engage her and her sister in thoughtful discussion about a commitment to taking action when there is injustice and violence.  Growing up, inaction was not an option in the Davidon household.  Sarah received her BA from Bryn Mawr College, and MEd from Harvard University Graduate School of Education.  She is currently on the faculty of the University of Colorado School of Medicine while also working on a doctorate in Leadership for Educational Equity.