Abbie Hoffman Biography

Abbie Hoffman was an American political and social activist who co-founded the Youth International Party ("Yippies"). An outspoken individual, he held strong anti-war beliefs and never shied away from expressing his discontent with the contemporary American political system. With his meticulously planned protests and disruptions, he became an icon of the anti-war movement and the counterculture era. Rebellious from a young age, he was known to be a troublemaker as a teenager—he got into fights, flouted laws, and disobeyed authority. With time he matured and began focusing his efforts on more meaningful causes rather than rebelling for the sake of it. He became involved with the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) and actively participated in the emerging Civil Rights Movement. He ventured into anti-war activism during the Vietnam War and gained popularity with his theatrical and comical stunts. His stunts also brought him at odds with the law and he was often arrested. But the routine brushes with the law did nothing to deter his passionate activism and he continued his activities even while living in hiding. He was at the height of his popularity when he took his own life, shocking his ardent admirers and the American public in general who could not believe that someone as courageous as Hoffman could actually commit suicide.