Peace activist Marv Davidov dies

Marv Davidov
Peace activist Marv Davidov in 2008. Davidov died Jan.14, 2012.
Photo courtesy Tom Bottolene/Circlevision.org

Marv Davidov, a long-time Minnesota peace activist, has died. He was 80.

In an interview that aired in 2007, Davidov told MPR News he attended every rally or protest in Minnesota he could. He described himself as a non-violent revolutionary who supported countless causes, from opposition to war to support for immigrant rights.

Davidov was originally from Detroit. He moved to Minnesota after high school to attend Macalester College, then joined the Freedom Riders in 1961. Davidov was arrested and imprisoned in Mississippi for 45 days.

In 1968 during the Vietnam War Davidov founded the Honeywell Project. The group opposed Honeywell's production of weapons like cluster bombs. By his count, Davidov was arrested more than 50 times.

St Paul attorney Bill Tilton met Davidov at a sit-in and they became lifelong friends.

"Marv was sort of our local Mother Teresa," he said. "Marv has always lived his politics. Marv also influenced people because people knew that this man was living what he said."