Broome County Peace Action (BCPA) is dedicated to abolishing nuclear weapons, constructing a world of peace and justice, and eliminating militarism as a method of resolving conflict. These goals are accomplished through education of the public and those in government responsible for national and foreign policy. BCPA is one of the local chapters in 30 states affiliated with “Peace Action,” the largest national grassroots-based peace organization in the United States.

BCPA began as Project Please to oppose nuclear weapons in 1981. The group was originally largely made up of a group of Binghamton University students, and was a branch of the Nuclear Weapons Freeze Campaign. While the group officially started in 1981, many of the early members had been involved with local anti-Vietnam War activism in the 1970s, especially around draft counseling and war tax resistance.

The organization became Broome County Nuclear Weapons Reduction (BCNWRC) in 1984 and gained 501(c)3 status. Around this time, the organization collected 10,666 signatures calling for a freeze in nuclear weapons production, which was sent to legislators in Washington.

In 1989 BCNWRC became a chapter of the national SANE/Freeze campaign, and then a chapter of Peace Action in 1993. BCNWRC has remained as the 501(c)(3) non-profit arm of BCPA.

Long-serving members of the organization included Greta Lake (public relations), Arvid Antonson, Charlie Schultz, Alan Jones (newsletter editor), George Haeseler, Roland Austin, Bob Cotton, Harry Thor, Helen Spiegel, Randy Swift, Toshie Box, Sue Cowing, and Suzanne Geoghegan.