| Camilla Hall | |
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Camilla Hall as an adult |
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| Born | 24 March 1945[1] St. Peter, Minnesota, U.S. |
| Died | May 17, 1974 (aged 29) Los Angeles, U.S. |
| Other names | Gabi |
| Alma mater | Gustavus Adolphus College, University of Minnesota |
| Political movement | Symbionese Liberation Army |
Camilla Christine Hall (March 24, 1945 - May 17, 1974) was an artist, college trained social worker, and an early member of the Symbionese Liberation Army.
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On March 24, 1945, Camilla Christine Hall was born in Saint Peter, Minnesota.[2] Her parents, George and Lorena Hall worked at Gustavus Adolphus College in Saint Peter, Minnesota from 1938-1952. In addition, her father was a minister in the Augustana Evangelical Lutheran Church, Lutheran Church in America, and later the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Her mother, Lorena (Daeschner) Hall, helped found Gustavus Adolphus College's Art Department and served as the department head.[3] Camilla Hall was the only surviving child of four; two of her siblings died of a kidney disorder, Peter and Nan, and a third, Terry, of congenital heart disease.[4][5]
In 1952, the Hall family moved to what is now Tanzania in East Africa. George and Lorena Hall taught in schools and did mission work, while Camilla and Nan played with the native children.[6] In 1954, when Camilla was nine, the family moved back to Saint Peter, because of seven-year-old Nan's poor health. While Camilla Hall attended elementary school in Minnesota, the family moved to Montclair, New Jersey until Hall was to start high school.
After moving back to Minnesota, Hall went to Washburn High School in Minneapolis where she was involved in many activities. The 1963 Washburn Yearbook says, "Candy was a member of Blue Tri, Class Play, Poplars Staff, Quill Club, Forensics, Pep Club, and Hall of Fame"[3] Blue Tri club was an organization that encouraged Christian ideals and put together service projects.[6] In addition, Camilla Hall was voted class clown in High School.[3] In 1963, she graduated from Washburn High School.
Then, Camilla Hall attended Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, Minnesota. She transferred to the University of Minnesota after her freshman year at Gustavus.[6] Hall attended special lectures, exhibits, and concerts at the University(THESIS). On June 10, 1967, Hall graduated with a humanities degree from the University of Minnesota.[3]
After college graduation, Hall moved to Duluth, Minnesota where she was a caseworker for St. Louis County, Minnesota.[6] Her distrust of the government showed in early 1968 when she was elected to carry the Eugene McCarthy banner, in support of the Eugene McCarthy Presidential Campaign, for her St. Louis County precinct.[6] Even though Hall enjoyed helping people in her work, she found it difficult to separate her feelings while being a caseworker.[6] For her job in Duluth, Minnesota, Hall used her musical and poetic talents in an advertising campaign.[7]
In June, 1968, Hall returned to Minneapolis, Minnesota and worked as a caseworker for the Hennepin County, Minnesota welfare office in Minneapolis.[6] Co-workers and friends of Hall described her as witty, sympathetic, helpful, and compassionate.[6] Also, she had an outgoing personality and had a passion for literature. At the same time, Hall frequently talked with family and friends about philosophy and how she was disappointed with the state of welfare.[8] In 1968, Hall was 23 years old and carefully monitored the political situation in America, like the 1968 Democratic National Convention.[6] She was active in the peace movement and food boycotts, including the Mobilization Committee to End the War in Vietnam.[6] Despite her active participation in urging social change and working as a caseworker, Hall's mother says Camilla became dissatisfied with her work.[6]
In November 1969, Hall moved to Topanga, a northern suburb of Los Angeles, California.[6] In March, she moved into Los Angeles proper in west Los Angeles. According to Rachael Hanel, "She lived off her savings, interest income from a trust, money from her parents, and selling her simple, Rubenesque line drawings."[9] Even though Hall didn't express dissatisfaction as being an artist, she decided to move again.
Hall moved to Berkeley in February 1971. In May 1971, Hall moved into an apartment complex on Channing Way where she met Patricia Soltysik.[6] Previous to this relationship, Hall had not lived publicly in a lesbian relationship.[7] Patricia Soltysik was the object of Hall's love poem named "Mizmoon".[5]
In Berkeley, Hall continued being politically active. She was one of the activists who took over Berkley park in the People's Park demonstration, summer 1972. In October 1972, Hall travelled to Europe and stayed with friends while she traveled for three months. Once she returned, she continued being politically active and was involved with the Symbionese Liberation Army.[6]
Hall died in a shootout (May 17, 1974) with police in which five other SLA members were killed. As their hideout burned, Hall and fellow SLA member Nancy Ling Perry exited out of the back door. Police claimed that Perry came out firing a revolver while Hall fired an automatic pistol. Police shot them both immediately. Perry was shot twice; one shot hit her right lung, the other shot severing her spine. Hall was shot once in the forehead. Investigators working for Hall's parents claimed that Perry had come walking out of the house intending to surrender.[10]
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