About Us

Oak Park Coalition for Truth and Justice  is a group of concerned citizens from Oak Park, Illinois and the surrounding communities in the greater Chicago area who are committed to exploring humanitarian alternatives to war, protecting our civil liberties, encouraging citizen action and promoting awareness of local and global events. The work of OPCTJ has had broad influence in the Chicago area as on the major organizations in the peace and justice movement. It has also been active at the state and national levels: OPCTJ is a founding member of the Illinois Peace and Justice Coalition and a founding member of United for Peace and Justice, the largest peace coalition in the United States.

We have sponsored several Oak Park Town Meetings, candlelight vigils attended by hundreds of Oak Park residents, letter-writing/petition efforts, potluck gatherings of Oak Park area progressive groups attended also by some public officials and members of congress, open-mic performance nights, and several marches and rallies in the Oak Park area. Together with the Oak Park Public Library, we have been co-sponsoring a successful  free film series on peace, justice and America’s future. OPCTJ also organizes an annual Chicago Area Peace Fair in early September, and cosponsors an online directory of progressive speakers, performers and films called Voices Exchange.

Here are some issues our group is interested in:

  • Promote and/or explore peaceful alternatives to war
  • Tell all the truth about the Sept. 11 attack
  • Bring the guilty to justice in an international court of law such as the UN Tribunal
  • Alter U.S. foreign policy, including:
    • Focus on diplomacy and cooperation instead of war and aggression
    • Halt US financing of warlord terrorist activities worldwide
    • Eradicate the poverty, hunger, and human rights abuses that nurture terrorism
    • Shut down the School of the Americas
    • Support Afghan refugees
  • Protect our civil liberties
  • End racist backlash attacks at home
  • Encourage a true watch-dog media that is uncensored and impartial
  • Find a safe alternative energy source and end the U.S. dependency on oil
  • Support the growth of other groups who are interested in these issues
Some Highlights from Our History

  • October 2001, produced our
    first Town Hall meeting discussing the political environment and history of the Middle East.
  • November 2001, organized the first petition questioning the U.S. response to the 9/11 attacks, organized the first Oak Park peace rally against Bush’s war policies, held a Town Hall meeting linking War, terror, power and profit.
  • January 2002, Hosted our first film showing at the Oak Park Library, “Missile Street” about sanctions in Iraq.
  • February 2002,  “No Iraq War” sign campaign -10,000 small signs distributed door-to-door in Oak Park.
  • May 2002, presented U.S. Rep. Danny Davis with over 3,000 petition signatures demanding that the U.S. not invade Iraq.
  • October 2002, Hosted a Town Hall meeting “In America’s Interests? War and the policy of Preventive Aggression” featuring Univ. of Chicago Prof. Robert Pape, aimed at people undecided about the looming attack on Iraq.
  • February 2003, Oak Park Village Board passes an OPCTJ sponsored resolution opposing the U.S. plan to launch a preventive war against Iraq.
  • November 2003, Public forum on “The Cost of War: Winners & Losers in a War Economy” with Chicago Alderman Joe Moore.
  • February 2004, Oak Park Village Board passes an OPCTJ co-sponsored resolution against the Patriot Act.
  • December 2004, Public forum featuring Nobel Peace Prize nominee Kathy Kelly, founder of Voices in the Wilderness “Other Lands Have Dreams: Eyewitness to War, Witness for Peace”, The Tom Neumann Memorial Forum, co-sponsored with Third Unitarian Church of Chicago.
  • September 2005, The first annual Chicago Area Peace Fair with Music, Art, Speakout, Booths and public draws 55 exhibitors and over 3,000 attendees.
  • October 2005, In conjunction with the Oak Park Public Library OPCTJ launches our ongoing free film series with award winning films such as “The Corporation” (23 int’l film awards) and “Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Price”
  • April 2006, Lead organizer of the Founding conference of the Illinois Coalition for Peace and Justice (ICPJ), www.ilcpj.org. bringing together 80+ peace groups from across the state.
  • September 2006, The second annual Chicago Area Peace Fair with Music, Public Art, Booths and children’s activities.
    Featured speaker is State Rep. Karen Yarbrough, author of the “Impeachment of George W. Bush” bill.


How You Can Join Us

We seek new ideas and networks. You can join or participate in the activities of our
group in many different ways:

  • help us network with other groups;
  • come to our regular meetings to help organize events and activities;
  • offer your ideas for new events, actions, forums, etc.;
  • participate in or help organize a specific event or activity, such as a petition drive, tabling, vigil, or forum.

OPCTJ normally meets on the 2nd Thursday of every month, at the main branch of Oak Park Public Library (Meeting rooms on the second floor). The meetings will begin at 7 PM. We also typically have book or general discussion meetings on the 4th Thursdays, also at the library.

To find out more about upcoming OPCTJ meetings, or would like to bring an issue to
OPCTJ for discussion please contact John at 708-524-1230 or email contact@opctj.org. Everyone is welcome to attend.

How to Contact US

You can write, call, or email us at:

Oak Park Coalition for Truth and Justice641 S. Scoville Ave.
Oak Park, IL 60304
Phone: 708-524-1230
Email: contact@opctj.org


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OPCTJ Meetings

Thu., Mar. 11, 7:15 pm
Oak Park Public Library, 2nd Floor

Meetings are held on the 2nd Thursdays in the Oak Park Public Library (834 Lake St.). Everyone is welcome. Contact: contact@opctj.org.

Featured Resources

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