What thechicago7.com is
thechicago7.com is a small, independent educational website about one historical event: the protests at the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago and the federal conspiracy trial that followed in 1969–70, United States v. Dellinger et al., better known as the trial of the “Chicago Seven” (originally the “Chicago Eight”).
The site offers an overview on the home page, a set of explanatory articles, an interactive 1960s timeline and a short history quiz. It is written for students, teachers, readers who have just watched the 2020 film and want the historical background, and anyone interested in protest, free speech and fair-trial history.
Who was on trial
Eight men were indicted in March 1969 under the anti-riot provisions of the Civil Rights Act of 1968: Abbie Hoffman and Jerry Rubin (co-founders of the Youth International Party, the “Yippies”), Tom Hayden and Rennie Davis (organizers associated with Students for a Democratic Society and the National Mobilization Committee to End the War in Vietnam), David Dellinger (veteran pacifist and MOBE chairman), academics John Froines and Lee Weiner, and Black Panther Party co-founder Bobby Seale.
Seale's case was severed and declared a mistrial in November 1969 after Judge Julius Hoffman had him bound and gagged in court, leaving seven defendants. In February 1970 the jury acquitted all seven of conspiracy, convicted five of crossing state lines with intent to incite a riot, and acquitted Froines and Weiner entirely. The Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals reversed the riot convictions in November 1972.
How the content is written
Articles are written and maintained by the site's editors and summarize widely published historical accounts, such as the Walker Report (Rights in Conflict, 1968), the published trial record and the 1972 appeals decision. Where accounts differ, we try to say so. The site is not written by historians or lawyers and is not a substitute for primary sources; see the Disclaimer & Sources page for suggested further reading.
If you spot an error, please tell us through the contact page and we will review and correct it.
Independence and advertising
This is an independent site. It is not affiliated with the trial participants or their families, with any court, government agency, university or museum, or with Netflix or the makers of the 2020 film “The Trial of the Chicago 7”. The site is supported by display advertising (Google AdSense); see the Privacy Policy for details.