Political Upheaval and the Political Upheaval and the CountercultureCounterculture

Black Power, Flower Power, Black Power, Flower Power, Protest, Assassination and Protest, Assassination and Music in the 1960s & ’70sMusic in the 1960s & ’70s

I. Changes in the United States I. Changes in the United States during the later 1960sduring the later 1960s

Societal changesSocietal changes occur as part of civil occur as part of civil rights movement, reaction to Vietnam, rights movement, reaction to Vietnam, focus on economic disparity, and focus on economic disparity, and political turmoilpolitical turmoil

Trust in governmentTrust in government and traditional and traditional leadership begins to leadership begins to erodeerode in late in late 1960s1960s

II. Changes in Civil Rights movement:II. Changes in Civil Rights movement:

Changes in FocusChanges in Focus Civil rights movement focused on problems Civil rights movement focused on problems

in the in the SouthSouth in early 1960s in early 1960s Majority of African-Americans Majority of African-Americans (70%)(70%) lived in lived in

urban citiesurban cities, many in North and West, many in North and West– Often faced racism in these areas: unable Often faced racism in these areas: unable

to live in white neighborhoods, difficulty to live in white neighborhoods, difficulty finding employment, higher poverty levelsfinding employment, higher poverty levels

– Frustrations riseFrustrations rise with lack of focus on with lack of focus on these issuesthese issues

Race RiotsRace Riots

– Watts RiotsWatts Riots (August 1965 in (August 1965 in Los Angeles)Los Angeles) Accusations of police Accusations of police

brutality start riot that will brutality start riot that will last last 5 days5 days

14,000 members of 14,000 members of National Guard deployedNational Guard deployed

34 people died, 900 34 people died, 900 injuries, $45 million injuries, $45 million damages to property damages to property

Additional race riotsAdditional race riots

Riots take place in Riots take place in Philadelphia and New York Philadelphia and New York previous to Watts and will previous to Watts and will also occur in Washington also occur in Washington DC, Baltimore, DetroitDC, Baltimore, Detroit

Detroit riotDetroit riot in 1967 was in 1967 was worst in scope with 43 worst in scope with 43 deaths and $250 million in deaths and $250 million in damagesdamages

Black PowerBlack Power

Origin of Black PowerOrigin of Black Power– Failures of inner-city efforts Failures of inner-city efforts

and Chicago Movement by and Chicago Movement by MLK led many African-MLK led many African-Americans to search for Americans to search for new approach new approach

– Stokely CarmichaelStokely Carmichael, leader , leader of SNCC, puts forward idea of SNCC, puts forward idea of “of “black powerblack power”” Mobilization and pride in Mobilization and pride in

black community, Afro-black community, Afro-centric beliefs, physical centric beliefs, physical self-defense, possible self-defense, possible use of violenceuse of violence

Malcolm XMalcolm X

– Born Malcolm Little in Born Malcolm Little in Omaha, he drifted into Omaha, he drifted into crime and sent to prison crime and sent to prison

– Joins Joins Nation of IslamNation of Islam or “Black Muslims”, or “Black Muslims”, which preached black nationalism and which preached black nationalism and separation from white communityseparation from white community

– Changes name to Changes name to Malcolm XMalcolm X for symbolic for symbolic reasonsreasons

– Becomes charismatic speaker for Nation of Becomes charismatic speaker for Nation of Islam and self-defenseIslam and self-defense

– Breaks away from Nation of Islam and goes Breaks away from Nation of Islam and goes on on pilgrimage to Meccapilgrimage to Mecca

– Changes message after returns and Changes message after returns and criticizes Nation of Islamcriticizes Nation of Islam

– AssassinatedAssassinated while giving a speech in New while giving a speech in New York in February 1965York in February 1965

Black Panther PartyBlack Panther Party

– Advocated black Advocated black power, black power, black nationalism, and nationalism, and economic self-economic self-sufficiencysufficiency

– ““Ten-Point ProgramTen-Point Program” ” calls for increased calls for increased services among and services among and for African-for African-AmericansAmericans

– Called for Called for arming for arming for self-defenseself-defense and and confrontation with confrontation with white societywhite society

– Investigated by US Investigated by US government and government and begins decline after begins decline after conflicts over focus conflicts over focus on Black Panthers on Black Panthers and trials involving and trials involving leadershipleadership

Black nationalism in public viewBlack nationalism in public view

– KwanzaaKwanzaa created created in 1966 by black in 1966 by black nationalist Ron nationalist Ron KarengaKarenga

– 1968 Olympics1968 Olympics in in Mexico City: Mexico City: Tommie Smith & Tommie Smith & John CarlosJohn Carlos

Other Civil Rights groups Other Civil Rights groups New civil rights groups with nationalist elements New civil rights groups with nationalist elements

emerged among other minority populationemerged among other minority population– HispanicsHispanics: La Raza and Brown Berets: La Raza and Brown Berets– Native Americans: Native Americans: American Indian MovementAmerican Indian Movement

and Indians of all Nations (occupation of and Indians of all Nations (occupation of Alcatraz)Alcatraz)

– Chinese: Red Guard and I Wor KuenChinese: Red Guard and I Wor Kuen– Gay Liberation FrontGay Liberation Front forms after Stonewall forms after Stonewall

riots in June 1969 in New York Cityriots in June 1969 in New York City

III. Turmoil of 1968III. Turmoil of 1968

Johnson leaves presidential raceJohnson leaves presidential race North Vietnamese launch North Vietnamese launch Tet OffensiveTet Offensive on on

January 30, 1968January 30, 1968 Even though militarily unsuccessful, Even though militarily unsuccessful,

American media and public shift beliefs on American media and public shift beliefs on ability to “win” Vietnam Warability to “win” Vietnam War

Credibility gapCredibility gap: American’s perceived : American’s perceived inability to trust what LBJ said about the inability to trust what LBJ said about the war war

Little known liberal Little known liberal Senator Eugene Senator Eugene McCarthy gets 40% of McCarthy gets 40% of New Hampshire New Hampshire primary voteprimary vote

Senator Senator Robert Robert KennedyKennedy quickly quickly enters race as possible enters race as possible frontrunnerfrontrunner

LBJ’s approval rating LBJ’s approval rating drops dramatically and drops dramatically and does not rundoes not run for for reelectionreelection

Season of ViolenceSeason of Violence

Martin Luther King, Martin Luther King, Jr.Jr. assassinated on assassinated on April 4 in MemphisApril 4 in Memphis

Robert KennedyRobert Kennedy assassinated on June assassinated on June 5 in Los Angeles after 5 in Los Angeles after winning California winning California Democratic PrimaryDemocratic Primary

1968 Democratic Convention 1968 Democratic Convention

Assassination of Robert Assassination of Robert Kennedy leaves Democrats Kennedy leaves Democrats with no frontrunnerwith no frontrunner

Convention chooses Convention chooses Hubert Hubert Humphrey (LBJ’s VPHumphrey (LBJ’s VP) as ) as nominee after three days of nominee after three days of debate over war and other debate over war and other issuesissues

Anti-war protestsAnti-war protests outside convention outside convention escalate into escalate into riotriot in in downtown Chicago downtown Chicago that was televised that was televised throughout the countrythroughout the country

– Chicago EightChicago Eight-eight leaders of -eight leaders of protest put on trial for protest put on trial for conspiracyconspiracy Mocked authority of court Mocked authority of court

and most found guilty of and most found guilty of lower crimes, with lower crimes, with sentences overturned by sentences overturned by Appeals Court Appeals Court

1968 Presidential Election1968 Presidential Election Candidacy of Democrat Hubert Candidacy of Democrat Hubert

Humphrey marred by violence at Humphrey marred by violence at convention and connection to convention and connection to LBJ’s Vietnam policiesLBJ’s Vietnam policies

Republicans nominate Republicans nominate Richard Richard NixonNixon, who promised to restore , who promised to restore order and planned to end war in order and planned to end war in VietnamVietnam

Governor George Wallace runs Governor George Wallace runs as an as an independent segregationist segregationist

NixonNixon wins election by more than wins election by more than 100 electoral votes but only 43% 100 electoral votes but only 43% to 42% to 42%

IV. CountercultureIV. Counterculture

Free Speech Movement at Berkeley sparks Free Speech Movement at Berkeley sparks additional challenges to authorityadditional challenges to authority

Reaction against governmental policies, Reaction against governmental policies, especially the especially the Vietnam WarVietnam War

Reaction against Reaction against perceived conformityperceived conformity of of 1950s1950s

Striving for utopian lifestyleStriving for utopian lifestyle outside of outside of standard societal practicesstandard societal practices

Anti-Vietnam ProtestAnti-Vietnam Protest

Buddhist Monk-Saigon 1963Buddhist Monk-Saigon 1963 Kent State-1970Kent State-1970

Expression of the CountercultureExpression of the Counterculture

Hippie culture emerges in Hippie culture emerges in later 1960s and later 1960s and publicized in San publicized in San FranciscoFrancisco

Attempted formation of Attempted formation of communescommunes – group living – group living arrangementsarrangements– Most famous likely Most famous likely

Haight-Ashbury district Haight-Ashbury district in San Franciscoin San Francisco

Fashion: longer hair, long Fashion: longer hair, long dresses, fringed garments, dresses, fringed garments, older clothing, military older clothing, military surplus, tie-dyed clothingsurplus, tie-dyed clothing

Music: Music: Rock ‘n’ rollRock ‘n’ roll music combined with music combined with lyrics often embodying lyrics often embodying social issues, protests, social issues, protests, and drug cultureand drug culture

Dance: focused on Dance: focused on dancing without dancing without partner, but in a group partner, but in a group (stressed individuality (stressed individuality within the group)within the group)

Drug culture: use of Drug culture: use of psychedelic drugs, psychedelic drugs, often LSD and often LSD and marijuanamarijuana

Hippies: Hippies: “Imagine no possessions; I wonder if “Imagine no possessions; I wonder if you can—no need for greed or hunger, a you can—no need for greed or hunger, a

brotherhood of man. Imagine all the people sharing brotherhood of man. Imagine all the people sharing all the world.”all the world.”

– WoodstockWoodstock: over : over one half million one half million people in upstate people in upstate New York gather New York gather for three day for three day music festivalmusic festival

– 31 Total Bands, including:31 Total Bands, including:– Joan Baez; Blood, Sweat and Tears; Joan Baez; Blood, Sweat and Tears;

Creedence Clearwater Revival; Crosby, Stills, Creedence Clearwater Revival; Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young; Joe Cocker; Arlo Guthrie; Nash & Young; Joe Cocker; Arlo Guthrie; Grateful Dead; Jimi Hendrix; Janis Joplin; Grateful Dead; Jimi Hendrix; Janis Joplin; Jefferson Airplane; Ravi Shankar; Sly and the Jefferson Airplane; Ravi Shankar; Sly and the Family Stone; Santana; The WhoFamily Stone; Santana; The Who

– AltamontAltamont: large festival in California : large festival in California famously marred by violencefamously marred by violence

Decline of the CountercultureDecline of the Counterculture

Hippie communities deterioratedHippie communities deteriorated with with crime and drug addiction issuescrime and drug addiction issues

Societal issues began shiftingSocietal issues began shifting in early in early 1970s1970s

Early hippies aged out of the movement Early hippies aged out of the movement after growing olderafter growing older

Legacy remains, although never Legacy remains, although never thoroughly dominant part of societythoroughly dominant part of society