Northampton

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. News, and Other Relevant Links
3. Related Organizations and Resources
4. Featured Resolutions

Northampton’s local government and residents have remained committed to their mission of advancing nuclear disarmament efforts from their observance of Nuclear Ban Day to their countless policy orders fighting for change.

In the 1980s, Northampton, Massachusetts, became one of the first municipalities in the United States to declare itself a nuclear-free zone. Since that decision, Northampton’s local government and residents have remained committed to their mission of advancing nuclear disarmament efforts, from their observance of Nuclear Ban Day to their countless policy orders fighting for change.

Ira Helfand, a Northampton-based physician and activist, has played a key role in Northampton’s anti-nuclear efforts. His work focuses on the medical consequences of nuclear war. Helfand is a founding partner and member of the international steering group for the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN), which received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2017, as well as the co-founder and former president of Physicians of Social Responsibility, the US affiliate of International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War (IPPNW). IPPNW won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1985 for its work in uniting physicians from the US and USSR during the Cold War, demonstrating that no health system exists to respond to nuclear war (and therefore, prevention is a necessity), and fostering international dialogue. Helfand additionally co-authored the influential journal article Nuclear Famine: 2 Billion at Risk? This prompted his vital participation in shaping the United Nations’ Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW). Helfand currently works to advance the Back from the Brink Movement, which he co-founded in 2017. In April of 2023, he was awarded the 2023 Gandhi-King-Ikeda Community Builders Prize for his past activism and his current efforts with the Back From the Brink movement. Helfand’s impactful activism reflects the dedication of Northampton’s citizens and local leaders to advancing nuclear disarmament. 

In 2005, the City of Northampton joined Mayors for Peace, further demonstrating the city’s commitment to peace-building practices.  

On December 7, 2017, Northampton City Council adopted R-17.425 “A Resolution Calling for the United States to ‘Pull Back from the Brink’ and Prevent Nuclear War.” This resolution urged US federal leaders to embrace the TPNW and fully commit the nation to preventing nuclear war through actions such as removing hair-trigger alerts, decentralizing power to launch a nuclear attack, working to eliminate the nation’s nuclear arsenal, and encouraging other countries to disarm. 

On September 26, 2018, then-Mayor David J. Narkewicz signed an executive policy order titled “Supporting the Mitigation and Abolition of Nuclear Weapons.” This executive order aimed to build upon Resolution 17.425 by committing the City of Northampton to reducing and eventually eliminating any financial connections with the nuclear weapons industry. It effectively disqualified any bidder or vendor involved in any component of the production or sale of nuclear weapons from receiving a government contract. The order was approved by both the mayor and the City Council in 2018. 

Together, Northampton’s activists and policy orders hallmark the city as a key site in the fight for nuclear disarmament.