Her Husband Burned Himself At The Pentagon To Protest The Vietnam War

Norman Morrison was a Quaker from Baltimore, Maryland, who became famous for his act of self-immolation (setting himself on fire) in protest against the Vietnam War. The event took place on November 2, 1965, outside the Pentagon. Morrison was a 31-year-old father of three who, on the day of his protest, brought his youngest child, Emily, with him to the Pentagon. He placed her safely out of harm’s way before setting himself on fire beneath Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara’s office window. This action was a shocking and highly public act of protest against the U.S.’s involvement in the Vietnam War. Quakers, or the Religious Society of Friends, have a long-standing commitment to pacifism and social justice, which was a significant influence on Morrison’s life and his decision to protest in the manner he did. His death had a significant impact both in the U.S. and internationally. The act was intended to echo the self-immolation of Thích Quảng Đức,