People’s Park, Berkeley
historic place
People's Park, in Berkeley, Alameda County, California, was established by local activists on April 20, 1969. This University of California-owned land was transformed by community members into a public park. Attempts to reclaim the land led to confrontations. On May 15, 1969, known as "Bloody Thursday," clashes between police and protesters resulted in injuries and the death of James Rector. The City of Berkeley declared People's Park a historical and cultural landmark in 1984. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on May 24, 2022. A plaque commemorating its 30th anniversary was erected in April 1999. This site is historically significant as a focal point of community activism and political movements in late 1960s Berkeley.