Thomas Merton Center

The Thomas Merton Center began in a storefront office on the Southside in 1972 to protest the continuation of the war in Vietnam. Working with a human needs coalition to reverse federal cutbacks, the Center raised funds for medical aid to Indochina and for the Bach Mai Hospital, and it provided information for schools and religious education programs on racism, poverty, and war. During the 1980s, the River City Campaign challenged local nuclear weapons producers, Rockwell, and Westinghouse with weekly vigils, leaflets, and civil disobedience actions. Since the beginning, thousands of people from diverse philosophies and faiths have found common ground in the nonviolent struggle to bring about a more just and peaceful world community. Through protest as well as ongoing projects, the regular involvement of the TMC members has been the backbone of our work. Our monthly newspaper,The NewPeople, is a key source of information for activists on current actions, campaigns, and events.