Black jack-o-lantern face on an orange background

The jack-o-lantern has been a common Halloween symbol for centuries. They originated in Ireland and the Scottish Highlands, where faces were carved into turnips and placed outside the home in order to keep out ghosts and ghouls. The tradition has become much more complex in many regions, where faces, intricate silhouettes, designs, and landscapes are carved into pumpkins. 

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The Peoples Coalition for Peace & Justice (PCPJ) organized a November 6, 1971 group of regional anti-war rallies in 15 major U.S. cities. Posters and buttons were widely circulated promoting the rallies. Over 100,000 people participated, with the greatest turn-outs being in San Francisco with 40,000, New York with 30,000, and Denver with 15,000 in attendance.

PCPJ was formed in 1970 to protest against the war in Southeast Asia and to confront social issues such as poverty, labor, repression and sexism in the United States. PCPJ was created as a successor to the Mobilization Committee to End the War in Vietnam, which itself was formed by members of the Communist Party USA. The group organized several campaigns including the People's Peace Treaty, Citizen's Action Pledge, and Nixon Eviction campaign. 

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According to a 1971 article by the Daily Kent Stater the People’s Coalition for Peace and Justice organized a demonstration in Washington, D.C. from Oct. 22-29 as part of two-phase “Evict Nixon” campaign. Phase I of the week began with a People’s Grand Jury comprised of everyday people, including a veteran, a housewife and others of diverse backgrounds. The purpose of the jury was to hear testimonies related to Nixon’s alleged crimes related to Vietnam, racism and repression and returned an eviction notice to President Nixon. Phase II began on October 26 with a conference discussing such topics as “What Can be Done to get rid of Nixon without Compromising One’s own Politics.”

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On May 4, 1970, National Guard troops that were called to the campus of Kent State University to disburse anti-war protestors killed four students and wounded nine others. Eleven days later, police officers fired shots into a Jackson State University campus dormitory, killing two students and injuring twelve. And on May 12, demonstrations and unrest in Augusta, Georgia resulted in six men being killed and 80 others wounded. 

A year after the shootings, the Student Mobilization Committee, which was formed in 1966 to coordinate opposition to the war in Vietnam, established May 5 as a national moratorium in commemoration of the events which took place at Kent State, Jackson State, and Augusta. Flyers and posters announcing the event stated “Remember Our Murdered Brothers and Sisters at Kent State, Jackson State, and Augusta. Demonstrate To Bring All the GI's Home From S.E. Asia Now!”

Illustration of a jack-o-lantern with a pink hat on a brown and yellow background with black text

The modern Halloween holiday, also known as All Hallow's Eve in some Christian communities, has origins in the traditional Celtic pagan holiday Samhain, which is dedicated to celebrating and remembering the dead. It is celebrated on October 31st by individuals of all ages; children typically go trick-or-treating while teenagers and adults may attend parties or frequent haunted houses. Common Halloween symbols include jack-o-lanterns, black cats, witches, ghouls, and other spooky figures. Many individuals also celebrate All Saint's Day on November 1st, which focuses directly on deceased familial ancestors and friends, by visiting gravesites and leaving offerings for their loved ones. 

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Illustrations of a banjo, guitar, poppy flower and the state of California with black text on a light green background

In 1976, American folk-singer Arlo Guthrie met with Oklahoma Senator Fred Harris in a saloon in New Hampshire and agreed to help Harris with his bid for the Democratic Presidential nomination. Guthrie supported Harris’ populist campaign, and performed 23 benefits for the Senator. Guthrie is the son of Woody Guthrie, famous for the American folk-song This Land is Your Land. Arlo Guthrie gave Harris the rights to use his father’s song in the campaign slogan "By supporting Fred Harris in our Democratic primary, we can make this land our land again."