Ellen Thomas

This article is about the American activist. For the British actress, see Ellen Thomas (actress).
Ellen Thomas protesting against nuclear weapons outside the White House, 1994.

Ellen Thomas (born January 24, 1947) is an American peace activist. She first became involved with the White House Peace Vigil on April 13, 1984. The daughter of a U.S. Marine, Thomas was born in Brooklyn and grew up in California. She became opposed to nuclear weapons during her childhood.[1] In protest at the policies of United States government, she became a tax resister by simply living below the income tax threshold.[2]

On May 6, 1984, Ellen Benjamin married Thomas in a Quaker wedding to become Ellen Thomas.[3] Ellen and her husband protested together for a number of years, until Thomas died in January 2009 of pulmonary disease.[4]

Ellen also heads The Proposition One Non-Radioactive Nuclear Review, a traveling multimedia troupe that educates the public on the dangers of a nuclear future. In 1993 she helped coordinate the successful Washington DC ballot initiative for Nuclear Disarmament and Economic Conversion.[5] Ellen formally served on the Washington Peace Center's board of directors, but has since moved to North Carolina.[6]

The Oracles of Pennsylvania Avenue (2012) by Tim Wilkerson, a documentary commissioned by the Al Jazeera Documentary Channel, recounts the lives of William and Ellen Thomas, Concepcion Picciotto and Norman Mayer.[7]

See also

References

  1. Ellen Thomas
  2. Matt Hagengruber (July 9, 2000). "DC protest group stands test of time". KnightRidder. I decided that when I didn't need to worry about providing for my daughter, I was going to reduce my income to below the poverty level so I wouldn't have to pay taxes, because I don't agree with the policies [of the U.S. government]
  3. Birth of a street person by Lloyd Grove
  4. http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/node/39316
  5. Anti-nuclear activists to visit today
  6. John Kelly (November 6, 2011), For 30-year peace activist, a new battle, The Washington Post, Ellen, who moved to the mountains of North Carolina after his [her husband's] death
  7. The Oracles of Pennsylvania Avenue

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to White House Peace Vigil.