Dianne Donghi

Dianne Marie Donghi
Born (1949-02-11) February 11, 1949 (age 75)
Other namesDionne Donghi, Dianne Marie Spiegel, Dianne Donghi Oberman
Known forFormer member of the 1970s group Weather Underground Organization

Dianne Marie Donghi (born 11 February 1949 in Neuville-sur-Seine, France) is a French former member of Students for a Democratic Society (1960 organization) and Weatherman (organization).

SDS

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Donghi was identified as a leader of Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) and a member of Weatherman by the Senate Internal Security Subcommittee (SISS) investigative report.[1] She was affiliated with the Columbia University SDS chapter as well as the New York chapter.[2] During July 1969, Donghi was one of the SDS Weatherwomen who traveled with Bernardine Dohrn to Havana, Cuba to meet and talk with representatives of Cuba, National Liberation Front of South Vietnam (NLF) and the North Vietnamese governments.[3][4] Donghi spoke at a press conference held on August 19, 1969 at the New York City Diplomat Hotel after the group returned home from Cuba.[5] She also spoke at a National Action Conference held in Cleveland, Ohio during August 29-September 2, 1969.[6] In preparation for Action Week in Chicago, Illinois, Donghi as well as Bernardine Dohrn, Linda Sue Evans, Mark Rudd and Jeff Jones helped to organize and recruit support for the October 8–11, 1969 Days of Rage, an event where Donghi herself was arrested and considered by FBI to be a co-conspirator.[7][8] On October 11, 1969 Donghi was arrested for mob actions, which she pleaded guilty on December 16, 1969; she was fined a $90 fee and sentenced to serve one day in the county jail.[1] In December 1969, Donghi was one of many who attended the Weatherman "War Council" in Flint, Michigan.[9]

Weatherman

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Donghi became affiliated with Weatherman Cincinnati collective in Ohio on January 15, 1970. She eventually became sole leader of the collective. Later Donghi spent time at the Chicago and New York collectives.[2][10] Sometime in February 1970, Donghi was arrested in Chicago by the FBI on charges of interstate transportation of stolen weapons. The case was thrown out by the U.S. Attorney because it had been set up by an inside informer of Weatherman.[11] On April 15, 1970, after attempting to forge checks using a false name, Donghi and good friend Linda Sue Evans were arrested in New York City.[11][12] Donghi was arrested in the Greenwich Village hotel room she had shared with Cincinnati collective member Larry Grathwohl (alias Tom Niehman), with whom she had formed a relationship.[13][14][15] Donghi and others had been suspicious of Grathwohl, who was in fact an undercover FBI agent. Grathwohl had to blow his cover in order to make the arrest.[11][14] Donghi was released from jail later that day with a bail of $10,000.[16] On July 23, after being sought out by authorities for fugitive warrants on other federal or local cases, Donghi, Linda Sue Evans, Mark Rudd, Bernardine Dohrn, Bill Ayers, Kathy Boudin, Cathy Wilkerson, Russ Neufeld, Jane Spielman, Ronald Fliegelman, Arlo Jacobs, Naomi Jaffe and Larry Grathwohl were indicted for conspiracy to bomb police stations and government buildings in four cities and to harm people inside.[17][18] After attending her court hearings, Donghi decided to become a part of the WUO's above ground support.[19]

Notes

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  1. ^ a b U.S. Senate Subcommittee 65
  2. ^ a b FBI Surveillance Files 274
  3. ^ FBI Surveillance Files 97, 107
  4. ^ U.S. Senate Subcommittee 13, 22, 65
  5. ^ FBI Surveillance Files 107
  6. ^ FBI Surveillance Files 109
  7. ^ FBI Surveillance Files 115
  8. ^ Abilene Reporter
  9. ^ U.S. Senate Subcommittee 22
  10. ^ Grathwohl 117, 118, 129, 173
  11. ^ a b c Harold Jacobs 272
  12. ^ Ron Jacobs 101
  13. ^ Harold Jacobs 270, 271
  14. ^ a b Ron Jacobs 108
  15. ^ Grathwohl 177
  16. ^ Grathwohl 178
  17. ^ Harold Jacobs 221, 222
  18. ^ Grathwohl 181
  19. ^ Ron Jacobs 114

References

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  • Federal Bureau of Investigation, "Weather Underground Organization (Weatherman)", (Illinois: Chicago Field Office, 1976)
  • Larry Grathwohl, "Bringing Down America: An FBI informer with the Weathermen", (New York: Arlington House Publishers, 1976)
  • Harold Jacobs, "Weatherman", (Ramparts Press, 1970)
  • Ron Jacobs, "The Way The Wind Blew; A History of the Weather Underground", (New York: Verso, 1997)
  • United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on the Judiciary. Subcommittee to Investigate the Administration of the Internal Security Act and Other Internal Security Laws. "The Weather Underground Report of the Subcommittee to Investigate the Administration of the Internal Security Laws of the Committee on the Judiciary United States Senate Ninety-Fourth Congress First Session", (Washington: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1975)
  • The Abilene Reporter News, "Agents Search for 10 Indicted Members of Group", (Texas: July 24, 1970)
  • Underground, documentary film
  • Weather Underground Organization
  • May 19th Communist Organization
  • List of Weatherman actions
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