George Wallace was the 45th governor of Alabama. Famous for his belief in “segregation now, segregation tomorrow, segregation forever,” Wallace was a polarizing politician who ran as a third-party candidate for the American Independent Party in the 1968 presidential election. 

On October 11th 1968 Wallace attempted to give a campaign speech on the steps of the Denver Capitol Building. Members of the DU chapter of the Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) joined student protestors from across Colorado to disrupt Wallace’s speech. Protesters carried signs likening Wallace to Adolf Hitler, shouting: “Sieg Heil!” The protesters were so disruptive and loud that Wallace was forced to leave the stage and abandon his speech.