Ann Arbor Residents Unite for 54th Annual Hash Bash

Thousands of people descended on the Diag at the University of Michigan to commemorate the 54th annual Hash Bash. Comedian and actor Tommy Chong and Washtenaw County Sheriff Alyshia Dyer were among the headlining presenters. 

Various organizations and vendors also set up near the event, including engineering junior Anna Bunge with U-M student organization Blue Missions. She explained to The Michigan Daily that the organization's charitable bake sales were strategically planned to correspond to Hash Bash. 

Rep. Debbie Dingell, D-Michigan, told crowds that the legalization of marijuana indicates that other laws that go against public opinion can change if people are willing to keep advocating for change.

“I got a message: ‘Hands off our marijuana, and hands off our country,'” Dingell said in her responses reported by The Michigan Daily. “But you know what? People across the country have made their voices heard. The fact of the matter is that most people live in states that have legalized marijuana. And the fact of the matter is, it's time we change the laws to keep up with the will of the people.”

Hash Bash was originally known as the John Sinclair Freedom Rally. The event was established after Sinclair was arrested in 1969 for possession of two joints. People rallied at the Crisler Arena on Dec. 10, 1971, to protest what they considered unfair, unreasonable laws. Musicians John Lennon and Stevie Wonder performed, while several actors and poets gave speeches.

After the protest, the Michigan Supreme Court declared the law used to arrest Sinclair was unconstitutional. In reaction to the event, Hash Bash was formally established in 1972. The victory in the court ruling paved the way for the legal use of cannabis for medical and recreational uses in Michigan.