EP. 24 - RAINBOW FARM REMEMBERED (with guest Boss Crosslin Jr.)

On Labor Day weekend 2001, two gay cannabis activists were gunned down by police on their farm in Vandalia, Michigan, after a five-day siege that some have called “The Waco of Weed.” Tom Crosslin and Rollie Rohm were the owners and operators of Rainbow Farm—a 35-acre property where they hosted annual pro-cannabis festivals (such as Hemp Aid, the Roach Roast, and the World Hemp Expo Extravaganja) that attracted famous performers and activists (such as Tommy Chong, Merle Haggard, and Big Brother and the Holding Company) and became the state’s hub of cannabis legalization efforts. That is, until an ambitious local prosecutor made it his mission to destroy their lives. 

​​In this extended episode of Cannthropology, Bobby Black speaks with Tom Crosslin’s nephew Boss Crosslin Jr., who not only attended all of the events at Rainbow Farm, but has made it his personal mission to uncover the truth behind his uncle’s murder and keep his legacy alive. During this candid interview, Crosslin fondly remembers the good that his uncle Tom and life partner Rollie did for the community, the positive impact of their events, and how the harassment they faced drove them to the desperate acts of defiance that caused their deaths—revealing crucial information from police reports that authorities have tried to cover up. 

The World of Cannabis Museum Project presents: Cannthropology—the potcast that explores the history of cannabis culture one artifact and interview at a time. Hosted by World of Cannabis executive director and marijuana media icon Bobby Black. 

Read our Cannthropology blog at worldofcannabis.museum/cannthropology and in our official media partner Leaf Magazine. If you are interested in becoming a sponsor of this podcast, please contact us at [email protected]. 

SHOW LINKS

Website: worldofcannabis.museum/cannthropology, leafmagazines.com/features/learn/history

Facebook: Cannthropology, WOCMuseum, BobbyBlack420

Instagram: Cannthropology, worldofcannabis.museum, BobbyBlack420

Twitter: Cannthropology, WOCMuseum, @bobbyblack

YouTube: WorldofCannabis, TheInfamousBobbyBlack

Hashtags: #Cannthropology #worldofcannabismuseum #worldofcannabis #leafmagazines

GUEST LINKS

Website: rainbowfarms.info  rainbowfarmcamp.com

Facebook: Rainbowfarmsinfo  Rainbow Farm: the Real Story

Instagram: @rainbowfarmsinfo

Hashtags: #rainbowfarm 

The World of Cannabis Museum will showcase the influence of cannabis in art, music, film, news, medicine, and politics throughout the past century. From the early days of prohibition and "reefer madness," to its modern-day mainstream momentum and everything in between: from the legendary growers and breeders who created and propagated all of the iconic strains, to the smugglers who distributed them across the globe; from the activists who have fought for legalization, to the celebrities who have embraced it; from America’s headshops to Amsterdam’s coffeeshops; from the counterculture of the 1960s, the excesses of the '70s, and the Drug War hysteria of the '80s, to the rise of medical marijuana in the '90s and the march toward legalization and mainstream acceptance in the new millennium—all of this and more we plan to explore in this unprecedented exhibition. 

© World of Cannabis and Cannthropology are registered trademarks of Velleman Beheer B.V.

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