1960s Social Change & Counter Culture
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Transcript of 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