Talking Atoms: Anti-Nuclear Protest at Diablo Canyon, California

In the 1950s and 1960s, a pro-nuclear narrative, largely established by government officials, dominated discourse on the nuclear age. Anti-nuclear protestors in the 1970s faced the challenge of countering years of atomic rhetoric. Drawing on substantial oral interviews conducted in the late 1990s, this article considers the language of hope and fear expressed by opponents of nuclear energy in California. In particular, it explores the relationship that evolved between activists, their dialogue of 'anti-nukespeak', and their place of protest, Diablo Canyon. 'Talking Atoms' notes the high value protestors afforded to free discussion and expression, and suggest oral history as an appropriate medium for understanding a loquacious popular movement.