Despite his death in 1989, the name Abbie Hoffman around the North Country will still garner some sort of reaction. Some of the reaction is good and some, not so good.

The political activist, who under an assumed name, made his presence felt right here in our region, is captured in a new Netflix movie. It is taking those who knew him as Barry Freed, back in time.

Rick Spencer cannot help but smile as he watches the new Netflix movie "The Trial of the Chicago 7." After all, he was very good friends with Abbie Hoffman, one of the men depicted in the movie.

The movie is about a group of anti–Vietnam War protesters charged with conspiracy and crossing state lines with the intention of inciting riots at the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago. Abbie Hoffman's role in organizing the protest upset a lot of people in power.

"My memories of the 60s, of Abbie Hoffman, was a very original activist trying to inspire a lot of young people," Spencer said of his friend.

But Spencer wouldn't actually meet Hoffman until a decade later.

In 1978, he met a man named Barry Freed, who upon meeting a woman named Joanna Lawrenson, moved to the area with her. During the time, the region had just experienced a horrific oil spill, known as the Slick of '76, and against the wishes of locals winter navigation was being considered.

Together, Spencer, Freed, and Lawrenson helped start an environmental agency based in Clayton. The organization was called Save the River, which is still going strong today.

"He saw a crisis, a problem, a danger.  He had the skills to do something about it. In many ways he changed the community." Spencer said.

Spencer said it didn't take him long to figure out the man going by Barry Freed was actually Abbie Hoffman. Hoffman had gone underground trying to avoid arrest on drug charges. Charges Hoffman has always claimed that he was framed and that the charges were politically motivated, due to his actions upsetting powerful people, including President Richard Nixon.

To this day, it’s a life that many have their opinions about, strong opinions.

"I'll tell you how I know him as: I know him as a very warm, generous person who had great sense of humor and was a brilliant organizer," Spencer said.