In 1996, the Day Without Violence (DWV) was launched by what was then the Peace Studies Association. At one time, the DWV was held annually at more than 100 universities and colleges throughout the United States. The DWV was introduced to UMass through the work of the Peace and Conflict Studies Institute (PACSI). The Day Without Violence is held in early April to commemorate the April 4th anniversary of the death of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The Rev. Dr. King was assassinated in 1968 in Memphis, Tennessee, where he had gone to support the striking sanitation workers.
For the Day Without Violence on campus, we have, through the years, had such activities as organized lectures, group discussions, interactive skits, a multi-faith celebration, and training workshops (such as: Alternatives to Violence Project; cross-cultural exercises; Help Increase the Peace Project; and study circles). In collaboration with the city of Lowell and Middlesex Community College, we have hosted teen dances at neutral sites.