1960s social change & counter culture

1960sSocial Change & Counter Culture

Social Change• Significant improvements in the lives of

–Minorities• Hispanics• African-Americans• Gays• Women• Asians• Native Americans

Mexican-Americans• LULAC – League of United

Latin American Citizens– Promoted education fought

for desegregation– Set up English language

classes in public schools• La Raza Unida- Helped

promote Hispanic candidates in local elections

United Farm Workers• Cesar Chavez &

Dolores HuertaOrganized Farm Workers to protest for

• Better working conditions

• Higher pay• Social reforms

• Used non-violent protest & boycotts

African-Americans

• The Civil Rights Movement led by Dr. Martin Luther King

• Already covered in DETAIL……

Women’s Liberation• Feminism

– was the belief that women should have economic, political, and social equality with men

• Betty Friedan’s– Feminine Mystique

• National Organization for Women (NOW)– fought against gender

bias in hiring and in the workplace and pushed for child-care facilities

Gay Rights• SIR -The Society for Individual

Rights was founded in Greenwich Village/SF.

• Castro District “The Castro” San Francisco – predominantly Gay neighborhood that organized for gay rights.

• Stone Wall Riots NYC- a series of spontaneous, violent demonstrations against police and government sponsored persecution.

Gay Liberation FrontOrganized Gay pride marches

Asian-Americans• Backlash and racism

from the Vietnam War• Asian American

Political Alliance (AAPA) was founded at Berkley which unified Chinese, Japanese, Korean and Filipino activists

• Protested the Vietnam War and racism directed at Asians

Counter Culture

• movement made up of mostly white, middle-class college young people who were disillusioned with the war and injustices of society

• They turned their backs on traditional American and founded a society based on peace and love.

Counter Culture• Materialism, Technology,

and War were hollow• Harvard Psychology and

counterculture philosopher Dr. Timothy Leary urged the youth to “Tune on, Turn in, Drop Out!”

• Many left home, work, and school to create an ideal community of peace love and harmony

Hippie Culture• The Age of Aquarius• Rock ’n’ Roll Music• Sexual Revolution (Free Love)• Marijuana and LSD ( Illegal Drugs)• Eastern Religions (Zen Buddhism)• Ragged Jeans, Tie-dye shirts,

military garments, love beads and muslin shirts

• Long hair and beards• Many joined communes• Haight-Asbury District of SF

Helter SkelterCharles Manson led a hippie commune “the Manson family”• First through love &

understanding• Then through LSD &

torture.• Do not think, only listen• Committed a series of

murders “Helter Skelter”.• Did not kill anyone but

went to jail through the joint responsibility rule.

Actress Sharon Tate & her unborn baby murderedby the Manson family

Woodstock

• Set up for 50,000• 500,000 showed up• It showcased numerous

bands that were or became icons in the music industry

• It was a mental and spiritual escape from the chaotic decade of the 1960s

• It signified a new generation taking control.

The Conservative Response• Nixon, Agnew and J Edgar

Hoover – expressed anger and concern over

the counterculture– threat to traditional values

• Many saw the values as– immoral, – un-American, – Immature– irresponsible

• Conservatives presented their own solutions to crime and lawlessness