US: 5,000 Town Meetings

The Campaign

In the United States there was a campaign created around the U.S. 200th Bicentennial in 1976 to do 5,000 Town Meetings across the country, one in every county (the U.S. has 3,142 counties).

Each state had its own approach to the national campaign.  Starting in 1974, ICA offices began ‘golding’ the counties as they held Town Meetings and shaded the county ‘gold’ on a map until all the counties were completed. The following are stories and documentation of that effort from 1974-77.

• “The Profound Function of TM“

• “What is Town Meeting?”, Global Research Assembly, July 28, 1975

• “Town Meeting Context“, Priors Council, December 18, 1975

• “The Happening of TM“, TM Assembly, April 3, 1976

• “This Nation’s 200th Birthday“, July 4, 1976

• “TM Acceleration in the United States“, Claudia Haman, Global Research Assembly, July 1977

• “The Future of TM“, Justin Morrill, Global Research Assembly, July 1977

Campaign Materials

• Advocacy Letters, 1975 and 1977

• Coordinator Role

• Leaders Manual, 1975

• Master of Ceremonies Script

• Practics Guide, January 1976

• Quotes

• Sponsor Committee Guide, 1975

• Town Meeting Workshop Procedures Guide, 1975

• TM Manual and Inclusive Dynamics and Workshop Procedures

• Town Meeting Participant Workbook

Results

• “Changed Lives in Community Forums“, Neil Vance, Global Research Assembly, July 20, 1976

• Town Meeting National Report, March 1, 1977

• Profound Impact of the TM Campaign, Global Research Assembly, July 1978

• After TM, What Happened?

• Results from the Michigan Town Meetings, etc. are stored in the Library of Congress