New Biography Sheds Light on Life of Yippie Co-Founder and Radical Activist Nancy Kurshan

Kurshan reflects on the inaccuracies in Aaron Sorkin's film 'The Trial of the Chicago 7' and the overlooked role of women in the radical movements of the 1960s and 1970s.

Mar. 30, 2026 at 2:40pm

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An extreme close-up of a crumpled, glittering piece of fabric in shades of red, white, and black, conceptually representing the glamour and rebellion of the 1960s counterculture movement.Kurshan's memoir promises to offer a rare and invaluable firsthand perspective on the radical movements of the 1960s and 1970s, shedding light on the overlooked role of women in these pivotal moments of history.Chicago Today

In this excerpt from her new book 'Levitating the Pentagon and Other Uplifting Stories: A Life in Activism,' Nancy Kurshan, a co-founder of the Yippies and member of the Weather Underground, reviews the 2021 film 'The Trial of the Chicago 7' and shares her firsthand experiences as a woman deeply involved in the radical movements of the era.

Why it matters

Kurshan's memoir provides a rare insider's perspective on the pivotal events and figures of the 1960s counterculture, offering a counterpoint to the male-centric narratives that have often dominated the historical accounts. Her critique of 'The Trial of the Chicago 7' highlights the persistent erasure of women's contributions and the ongoing need to amplify diverse voices in the retelling of these pivotal moments.

The details

In the excerpt, Kurshan reflects on her role as a woman in the Conspiracy office and the courtroom during the trial of the Chicago 8, where she and other women were often treated as 'rock band groupies' by the male defendants and their supporters. She also critiques specific aspects of Sorkin's film, such as the portrayal of Jerry Rubin and the exclusion of the Yippie defense and the reading of the names of Vietnamese war dead, which she argues were essential elements of the trial.

  • In 2021, Aaron Sorkin's film 'The Trial of the Chicago 7' was released on Netflix.
  • The trial of the Chicago 8 took place from 1969 to 1970.

The players

Nancy Kurshan

A co-founder of the Yippies and member of the Weather Underground who was present in the courtroom during the trial of the Chicago 8.

Jerry Rubin

A Yippie activist and one of the defendants in the trial of the Chicago 8.

Dave Dellinger

A pacifist activist and one of the defendants in the trial of the Chicago 8, known for his courageous actions in the courtroom.

Rennie Davis

An activist who had traveled to North Vietnam and was one of the defendants in the trial of the Chicago 8.

Abbie Hoffman

A Yippie activist and one of the defendants in the trial of the Chicago 8, portrayed by Sacha Baron Cohen in the film.

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What they’re saying

“We might not have been out there in the limelight, but we were fighting just as hard, if not harder, than the men were to end the war and bring about a more just world. Our movement was shot through with male supremacy and with this, Sorkin inadvertently reminds us we have a long way to go.”

— Nancy Kurshan, Yippie Co-Founder and Radical Activist

“I knew Jerry's faults as well as anyone, which is finally why I left him. But I also knew his strengths. He had tremendous courage. Not Rambo courage. It was ridiculous to see him in the film talking about Molotov cocktails. He couldn't even make a smoothie!”

— Nancy Kurshan, Yippie Co-Founder and Radical Activist

What’s next

The release of Kurshan's memoir 'Levitating the Pentagon and Other Uplifting Stories: A Life in Activism' will provide readers with a deeper understanding of the role of women in the radical movements of the 1960s and 1970s, offering a counterpoint to the male-centric narratives that have often dominated the historical accounts.

The takeaway

Kurshan's critique of 'The Trial of the Chicago 7' highlights the persistent erasure of women's contributions to the radical movements of the era and the ongoing need to amplify diverse voices in the retelling of these pivotal moments in history. Her memoir promises to offer a rare and invaluable firsthand perspective on this tumultuous period.