60s Radicalism a Product 60s Radicalism a Product of a Variety of Forcesof a Variety of Forces
A large generation of young, A large generation of young, affluent and idealistic people (The affluent and idealistic people (The “baby boomers”)“baby boomers”)
Civil RightsCivil Rights VietnamVietnam JFKJFK Pop Culture voices, especially the Pop Culture voices, especially the
Beatles and Bob DylanBeatles and Bob Dylan
Maybe Dylan best sums it Maybe Dylan best sums it upup
Come mothers and fathers Come mothers and fathers throughout the land/and don’t throughout the land/and don’t criticize what you can’t criticize what you can’t understand/your sons and your understand/your sons and your daughters are beyond your daughters are beyond your command/your old road is rapidly command/your old road is rapidly agin’/Please get out of the new one if agin’/Please get out of the new one if you can’t lend a hand/For the times you can’t lend a hand/For the times they are a changin’they are a changin’
Two labels/groupsTwo labels/groups
THE NEW LEFT: tends to involve THE NEW LEFT: tends to involve campus activitiescampus activities
THE COUNTERCULTURE: rebels THE COUNTERCULTURE: rebels who looked to drop out of who looked to drop out of mainstream culture.mainstream culture.
Campus RadicalismCampus Radicalism
Much of 60’s counterculture comes Much of 60’s counterculture comes from the campuses where affluent from the campuses where affluent youth challenged the prevailing youth challenged the prevailing idealsideals
New Left groups rise in popularityNew Left groups rise in popularity
STUDENTS FOR A STUDENTS FOR A DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY (SDS)(SDS)
Formed at Formed at University of University of Michigan—1962Michigan—1962
Disliked parents Disliked parents materialism, materialism, wanted wanted participatory participatory democracydemocracy
Formed chapters at Formed chapters at many universitiesmany universities
SDS PORT HURON SDS PORT HURON STATEMENT (excerpts)STATEMENT (excerpts)
We are people of this generation, bred in at least We are people of this generation, bred in at least modest comfort, housed now in universities, modest comfort, housed now in universities, looking uncomfortably to the world we inherit. looking uncomfortably to the world we inherit.
The bridge to political power, though, will be built The bridge to political power, though, will be built through genuine cooperation, locally, nationally, through genuine cooperation, locally, nationally, and internationally, between a new left of young and internationally, between a new left of young people, and an awakening community of allies. In people, and an awakening community of allies. In each community we must look within the each community we must look within the university and act with confidence that we can university and act with confidence that we can be powerful, but we must look outwards to the be powerful, but we must look outwards to the less exotic but more lasting struggles for justice.less exotic but more lasting struggles for justice.
Free Speech MovementFree Speech Movement
Starts at Cal-Starts at Cal-BerkleyBerkley
Demonstration for Demonstration for right to exercise right to exercise political speechpolitical speech
Mario Savio’s Mario Savio’s speech becomes speech becomes a landmarka landmark
Mario Savio—Free Speech Mario Savio—Free Speech MovementMovement
There is a time when the operation of the There is a time when the operation of the machine becomes so odious, makes you so machine becomes so odious, makes you so sick at heart, that you can't take part; you sick at heart, that you can't take part; you can't even passively take part, and you've can't even passively take part, and you've got to put your bodies upon the gears and got to put your bodies upon the gears and upon the wheels, upon the levers, upon all upon the wheels, upon the levers, upon all the apparatus, and you've got to make it the apparatus, and you've got to make it stop. And you've got to indicate to the stop. And you've got to indicate to the people who run it, to the people who own people who run it, to the people who own it, that unless you're free, the machine will it, that unless you're free, the machine will be prevented from working at all! be prevented from working at all!
Some General Some General CharacteristicsCharacteristics
Resistance to middle class Resistance to middle class values/materialismvalues/materialism
Experimentation with alternative Experimentation with alternative lifestyleslifestyles Communal LivingCommunal Living Free Love/SexFree Love/Sex DrugsDrugs
Tended to Reject traditional politicsTended to Reject traditional politics
Ken Kesey and The Merry Ken Kesey and The Merry PrankstersPranksters
Spiritual heirs of Spiritual heirs of the Beatsthe Beats
Took Day-Glo bus Took Day-Glo bus across USAacross USA
Pioneered the Acid Pioneered the Acid TestsTests
Profiled in Profiled in The The Electric Koolaid Electric Koolaid Acid Test Acid Test by Tom by Tom WolfeWolfe
Hippies, Haight-Ashbury Hippies, Haight-Ashbury and the Summer of Loveand the Summer of Love
San Francisco San Francisco Neighborhood is Neighborhood is center of center of counterculturecounterculture
Grateful Dead Grateful Dead unofficial mayorsunofficial mayors
Free Store, Free Store, Psychedelic Shop, Psychedelic Shop, Acid Tests, Acid Tests, Ballrooms etc.Ballrooms etc.
The Heights and The Heights and Limits of the Limits of the CountercultureCounterculture
Two scenes from 1969Two scenes from 1969
Woodstock August 1969Woodstock August 1969
500k young 500k young people celebrate people celebrate counterculture counterculture values of peace values of peace and loveand love
Made a mess, but Made a mess, but generally generally peaceful, peaceful, cooperativecooperative
Altamont: December 1969Altamont: December 1969 500k fans for Free 500k fans for Free
Rolling Stones showRolling Stones show Little Peace or LoveLittle Peace or Love Hell’s Angels provide Hell’s Angels provide
“security”“security” Fights, bands Fights, bands
attacked, one fan attacked, one fan murdered in front of murdered in front of stagestage
Literally and Literally and symbolically the end symbolically the end of the 60sof the 60s
January 31: Tet OffensiveJanuary 31: Tet Offensive
Convinces Convinces America that America that we’re not winningwe’re not winning
““Anti-War” Anti-War” becomes majoritybecomes majority
Major waves of Major waves of protestsprotests
March 31: LBJ announces March 31: LBJ announces he won’t run for reelectionhe won’t run for reelection
Stunning decisionStunning decision—given his —given his popularity in 64popularity in 64
Facing serious Facing serious threat from RFKthreat from RFK
Essentially, his Essentially, his presidency presidency becomes a victim becomes a victim of the warof the war
APRIL 4APRIL 4
Martin Luther Martin Luther King assassinatedKing assassinated
Largest wave of Largest wave of Race Riots in Race Riots in American history American history resultresult
One voice for One voice for peace, reason is peace, reason is gonegone
June 4June 4
Robert Kennedy Robert Kennedy assassinatedassassinated
Likely would have Likely would have won Dem. won Dem. Nomination and the Nomination and the presidencypresidency
Two down—is there Two down—is there anybody left?anybody left?
Hard to be optimistic Hard to be optimistic when they keep when they keep killing the leaders.killing the leaders.
August: Riots at the Democratic August: Riots at the Democratic National ConventionNational Convention
Protesters come to Protesters come to razz the democratsrazz the democrats
Police, National Police, National guard play out battle guard play out battle in the streets of in the streets of Chicago.Chicago.
““The whole world is The whole world is watching” (and watching” (and frankly, they’re frankly, they’re pretty shocked by pretty shocked by what they see.what they see.
ELECTION OF 1968ELECTION OF 1968
Hubert Humphrey (D): LBJ’s VP—Hubert Humphrey (D): LBJ’s VP—represents the status quo.represents the status quo.
Richard Nixon (Rep) “Secret Plan Richard Nixon (Rep) “Secret Plan to Win the War”; “He can bring us to Win the War”; “He can bring us together”; represents the “Silent together”; represents the “Silent Majority”Majority”
November: NIXON November: NIXON ELECTEDELECTED
The first nail The first nail in the 60’s in the 60’s CoffinCoffin
Runs as law Runs as law and order and order guy—and as guy—and as a Uniter not a Uniter not a divider. a divider. (Isn’t that (Isn’t that ironic)ironic)
OTHER RADICAL OTHER RADICAL CHANGESCHANGES
1.1. The Supreme CourtThe Supreme Court
2.2. The EnvironmentThe Environment
3.3. Consumer ProtectionConsumer Protection
The Supreme CourtThe Supreme Court
Under Chief Justice Under Chief Justice Earl Warren the Earl Warren the Court made several Court made several controversial controversial decisions.decisions.
Rights of those Rights of those accused of crimesaccused of crimes Gideon v. WainwrightGideon v. Wainwright Escobedo v. IllinoisEscobedo v. Illinois MIRANDA v. ARIZONAMIRANDA v. ARIZONA
The EnvironmentThe Environment
Rachel Carson: Rachel Carson: SILENT SPRINGSILENT SPRING
Many new Many new government government actionsactions Clean Air ActClean Air Act
CONSUMER PROTECTIONCONSUMER PROTECTION
Ralph NaderRalph Nader Crusading lawyerCrusading lawyer Wrote “Unsafe at Wrote “Unsafe at
Any Speed”Any Speed” Leads to more Leads to more
government government regulationregulation
TITLE IXTITLE IX
An addition to the Federal An addition to the Federal Education Code.Education Code.
Said “no discrimination on the Said “no discrimination on the basis of gender in educational basis of gender in educational programs”programs”
We most notice it in Girls SportsWe most notice it in Girls Sports Creation of the ENVIRONMENTAL Creation of the ENVIRONMENTAL
PROTECTION AGENCYPROTECTION AGENCY