Michael Berg was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Berg accepted a Bachelor of Arts degree in English literature and a teaching certificate at Bucknell University in 1967, and a master’s degree in education from Temple University in 1969.
Berg, a longtime antiwar activist, was involved in the protests against the Vietnam War beginning in 1965. According to his website, "In 1991, when the United States invaded Iraq in the Gulf War, Berg intensified his protest activities despite reprimands from his school's administrator. He has protested the Bush administration's invasion of Iraq as well, organizing local marches, protests, and vigils and traveling to Washington, D.C."
Berg's son Nick, a telecommunications contractor, was detained in Iraq for 13 days in March 2004 by U.S. military and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. After his release and after refusals to return to the States with help from U.S. government, and in the aftermath of the Abu Ghraib revelations[citation needed], Nick was abducted and murdered by Islamic militants on May 7, 2004. A video of his decapitation was posted on the internet, leading to international media coverage of Michael Berg, his family, and his antiwar stance.

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