Anatole Ben Anton: Associate Professor Philosophy

Anatole Ben Anton. [1967], 1984. Associate Professor Philosophy. AB (1961) City College of New York; Ph.D. Stanford University. A lecturer in Marxist philosophy at San Francisco State College beginning in 1967, Anatole Ben Anton became a prominent faculty voice during the 1968–69 student and faculty strike for ethnic studies. Known as a “strike veteran,” Anton stood in solidarity with students and fellow faculty members, advocating for institutional change, academic freedom, and the democratization of higher education. On January 23, 1969, Anton was among the 425 students and faculty arrested during mass protests on campus—the largest single-day arrest in the history of the strike. His participation in the movement and outspoken defense of collective bargaining and faculty rights came at personal cost: he was subsequently blacklisted by the university. Anton later filed a grievance related to his dismissal, and his eventual rehire in 1984 reflects a long fight to restore his position and reputation. His career stands as a testament to the risks taken by faculty who supported student demands for racial justice, representation, and educational reform during one of the most consequential campus uprisings in U.S. history.