Joan Baez

Joan Baez, the daughter of Quaker parents of Scottish and
Mexican descent, began dual careers as a folksinger and political activist in the late 1950s. After her breakthrough appearance at the 1959 Newport Folk Festival, Baez recorded her first album, Joan Baez, which peaked at number three on the national charts. As her singing career took off, she used her newfound celebrity to promote equal rights for women and minorities and to protest the Vietnam War. She was arrested twice in 1967 for her opposition to the draft. She continues to focus public attention on human rights abuses and inequities.

Resources for Teachers and Students

Reflections on Working Towards Peace