THE RADICAL THE RADICAL 60s60s

An OverviewAn Overview

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!

THE THE COUNTERCULTUCOUNTERCULTURERE

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

19681968

The Year America The Year America Almost Came ApartAlmost Came Apart

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

Images from the Tet Images from the Tet OffensiveOffensive

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 Creation of the Creation of the

ENVIRONMENTAL ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION PROTECTION AGENCYAGENCY

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