The Silent Majority and the Free Sanford Rally

Months after the evening of March 4, students were still experiencing the effects of that night. In May, a student organization known as the Silent Majority emerged and SDS leader Phil Sanford clashed with campus police again. These events occurred as direct results of the Night of Bayonets and show how the campus was dividing between radicals and moderates.

The Silent Majority, also known as the “98 Percenters,” was a small group of students who strongly opposed campus disorder and claimed that the majority of FSU’s student body agreed with them. The group emerged in May and openly lauded Marshall for his handling of SDS on March 4, garnering some heated retorts from SDS and their supporters. Whether or not the majority of FSU agreed with the Silent Majority is unknown, but it is clear that not all students agreed with the New Left’s actions.

While the “98 Percenters” were raising support for Marshall, the radicals faced another issue: the loss of their leader. Two months after police had arrested Phil Sanford for disorderly conduct and harassing officers, officers arrested him twice more for similar charges and for trespassing since he had not registered for classes that semester. Sanford was one of the most prominent radicals on campus and was often at the center of protest activity, so when he went to trial in June students marched in the “Free Sanford Rally” from Landis Green to the Capitol. The presiding judge sentenced him to eighteen months in the Leon County Jail for his actions on March 4, but immigration authorities soon had him deported. As the leader of SDS, Sanford’s deportation contributed to the group’s slow decline over the course of the following year.

"The Silent Majority"

The group of students who called themselves the Silent Majority posted this bulletin to raise awareness and support of their cause. They believed that the drastic behavior of a few students and the resulting negative attention was a misrepresentation of the student body. Although the Silent Majority may have agreed with the New Leftists that change was necessary for the university, the “98 Percenters” opposed campus disruption.

"Liberation #4"

The “Liberation” was the regular newsletter of FSU’s chapter of Students for a Democratic Society. Here, the members used the newsletter to respond to the Silent Majority’s earlier posting. SDS's disgust is palpable as they question the group’s source of funding and condemns its “racist, imperialistic and uncritical attitudes that the ruling class and its lackeys would foist upon all students.” SDS had an obvious distrust of the students with opposite views from their own.

"Sanford's Innocence"

This bulletin, posted during Sanford’s trial, shows a clear discrepancy between authorities’ recollection of events and that of the students. It calls for justice for the arrested student leader and urges others to challenge the “repressive fascist actions.” On the reverse side is a statement from Sanford about the nation-wide oppression of radicals and progressives by the government. Sanford’s arrest was during FSU's most turbulent time, as is evidenced by this militant and extremist text.

"Students During Free Sanford Rally"

While Sanford was in court, a group of several hundred students marched in the Free Sanford Rally from Landis Green to the Capitol where they claimed Sanford’s innocence. The protesters were as much in favor of Sanford’s release as they were in opposition to what they thought was a corrupt justice system.

peace officers - Free Sandford Rally.jpg

"Police Officers on Steps of Capitol"

These two photos show the large group of police officers that awaited the students at the Capitol. The officers with their nightsticks lined the steps to prevent anyone from entering the building and as a precaution in case the demonstration turned violent. However, the blatant display of force was not necessary, as the protesters remained peaceful and eventually dispersed on their own.