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Abbie HoffmanPublic and political figure
Date of Birth: 30.11.1936
Country:  USA |
Content:
Biography of Abby Hoffman
Abby Hoffman, born on November 30, 1936, in Worcester, Massachusetts, was a social and political activist. He was one of the founders of the Youth International Party (YIP) - the legendary 'Yippies'.
Early Life and Education
Hoffman was born to John Hoffman and Florence Schamberg. He had a penchant for getting into trouble even in school, often getting into fights, causing mischief, and challenging his teachers. In the 1950s, Hoffman rode motorcycles, wore a leather jacket, and sported a distinct hairstyle known as the 'ducktail'.
In 1959, Hoffman graduated from Brandeis University with a bachelor's degree in psychology. During his time at Brandeis, he was taught by notable scholars such as Abraham Maslow and Herbert Marcuse. After Brandeis, Hoffman enrolled at the University of California, Berkeley, where he married his pregnant girlfriend, Shelia Karkli, in May 1960. Prior to his involvement with the Yippies, Hoffman was a member of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee.
Activism and Controversies
During the Vietnam War, Hoffman became a passionate anti-war activist. He employed comedic and theatrical tactics during his protests, including threatening to levitate the Pentagon with the power of his mind. One memorable incident was his "attack" on the New York Stock Exchange, where he and his comrades showered stockbrokers with a mix of fake and real dollar bills.
Hoffman was arrested for conspiracy and incitement to riot following one of his anti-war actions and became a member of the "Chicago Seven" - a group charged with various offenses related to their involvement in protests during the 1968 Democratic National Convention. In February 1970, Hoffman, along with Jerry Rubin, David Dellinger, Rennie Davis, and Tom Hayden, were found guilty of incitement to riot but innocent of conspiracy. They were initially sentenced to five years in prison and fined $5,000 each, but the convictions were overturned on appeal.
In 1969, at the Woodstock music festival, Hoffman climbed on stage during a performance by "The Who" to protest the arrest of John Sinclair from the "White Panther Party". However, he was attacked by the band's guitarist, Pete Townshend, who tried to push him off the stage. Hoffman claimed that he was under the influence of LSD at the time.
Later Life and Death
In 1971, Hoffman published the iconic book "Steal This Book," a collection of practical advice on living on a minimal budget. Many readers took the book's title literally, leading to bookstores refusing to sell it.
On April 12, 1989, at the age of 52, Hoffman died from an overdose of phenobarbital mixed with alcohol. He had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 1980 and had undergone treatment. However, the diagnosis of his mother's cancer plunged him into depression.
