In Memoriam: March 15, 1919 - August 27, 2019
 

Frances was a stellar light in western Massachusetts, inspiring thousands of people to become social justice and peace activists.

 

I feel very honored and personally inspired to have known Frances for over 40 years.

 

I first met Frances when I was 18 as a college student at Hampshire College in 1976.  Within a month of arriving in the Pioneer Valley, I was in Frances’ car driving to a peace demonstration in Washington, DC.

 

In May 1977, I filmed my first interview with Frances at the mass civil disobedience protest on the construction site of a nuclear reactor in Seabrook, New Hampshire, for my first documentary, SEABROOK 1977. (See video excerpt below)

 

Frances Crowe was featured prominently in my latest documentary, POWER STRUGGLE, which chronicles the successful grassroots citizens’ effort to close the Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant in Vermont. (See video excerpts below)

 

In March 2019, when Frances celebrated her 100th birthday, she was joined by hundreds of people marching through the streets of Northampton, MA. I made a short film about this joyous day, FRANCES TURNS 100. (See video below)

 

On August 29, Amy Goodman, host of DEMOCRACY NOW, a global daily television and radio news program, featured an in-depth tribute to Frances, which featured extensive scenes of Frances protesting at the Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant from POWER STRUGGLE, along with a 2005 interview with Frances conducted by Amy. It was a very moving tribute. (See video below)

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For more information on Frances’ long life of activism about a diversity of issues, see the newspaper tributes below.

 

As Frances says about her life of activism in POWER STRUGGLE, “You can't do it alone. You need community to do this, so that you can support one another and move ahead together.”

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While Frances will be sorely missed, her legacy of activism lives on in the countless people she inspired to join movements for grassroots social change.

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In particular, I feel heartened that Frances’ activism — and those of other activists from Vermont and western Massachusetts who participated in the struggle to close down the Vermont Yankee nuclear reactor — will continue to inspire people who see POWER STRUGGLE, as this film chronicles a rare victory of grassroots activists who actually won.  

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— Robbie Leppzer

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• ABOUT POWER STRUGGLE 

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• WATCH TRAILER

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VIDEOS

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DEMOCRACY NOW - AMY GOODMAN TRIBUTE TO FRANCES CROWE