On June 17, 1971, President Richard Nixon announced America’s war on drugs. He declared drug abuse “public enemy number one.” “In order to fight and defeat this enemy,” he continued, “it is necessary to wage a new, all-out offensive.” Nixon, in the midst of the Vietnam War, went into this battle with his eyes wide open—his “offensive” was targeted, pragmatic, and winnable. But as has been true of too many of America’s wars, strategy and on-the-ground realities quickly diverged. The fog of war descended, tragedy ensued.

In advance of the 50th anniversary of Nixon’s declaration, eleven of the leading historians and interdisciplinary scholars of America’s War on Drugs met for an online symposium to explore the history and significance of the War on Drugs.

Sponsored by:

• Center for Military, War, and Society Studies

• Center for Latin American & Caribbean Studies

• Department of African and African-American Studies

• Department of American Studies

• Department of History

• Andrew Isenberg, Hall Distinguished Professor of American History

The edited volume from the symposium, The War on Drugs: A History was published by New York University Press in November 2021. Order it here.