The Tenacious 1960s

From the Presidency to the Cold War to the Civil Rights Movement

JFK From a wealthy and

political Boston family. Served as Congressman and Senator.

Tended toward liberal policies, but tried to stay away from controversial issues.

Kennedy and the Cold War Cabinet of the “best and the

brightest” Early in presidency faced

crisis over Berlin - USSR wanted a treaty that would remove the US presence.

Stalemate resulted in status quo but also Berlin Wall.

Peace Corps

Bay of Pigs Invasion

Trained Cuban exiles in Guatemala would go in and lead an uprising of the Cuban people.

April 1961: US did not provide air cover, and Cubans killed and captured all the invaders.

Cuban Missile Crisis USSR built missiles sites in

Cuba, publicly denied it, but US spy planes discovered them.

US issued a naval blockade of Cuba.

Eventually came to an agreement for USSR to remove the missiles and US pledge to never invade Cuba.

Kennedy on Domestic Issues Wanted to continue some of

the same domestic policies of Truman on health care and education.

Largely unsuccessful because of Republican and Southern Democrat opposition.

Did succeed in a tax cut that spurred economic growth.

Complicated issue of Civil Rights.

SNCC and Ole Miss

Brown decision was largely unenforced in the South.

Students began to push for desegregation through “sit-ins.”

James Meredith tried to get into Ole Miss but needed federal protection.

Freedom Riders, Freedom Summer, and the Children’s Crusade

CORE organized multi-racial groups to ride on buses throughout the South.

Freedom Summer (1964) - white activists travel to the South to register black voters.

Children’s Crusade in Birmingham, goal to create confrontation to display white racism.

March on Washington - 1963

Civil Rights and Voting Rights Act Civil Rights Act 1964 -

ended legal discrimination in federal programs, voting, employment, and public places.

Created Equal Employment Opportunity Commission to investigate claims.

Voting Rights Act 1965 - banned literacy tests, federal help to register African Americans.

Kennedy Assassination

Nov 1963 Lee Harvey Oswald? Conspiracy? Kennedy’s death led the

govt. to put forth the most aggressive social welfare programs since the New Deal.

LBJ Influential Texas

Congressman for more than 20 years.

Put forth a “Great Society” agenda to create prosperity, eliminate poverty, and racial injustice.

1964 election went to LBJ, but the “New Deal Coalition” was broken.

War on Poverty Economic growth during the

1960s = wealth to end poverty?

$ transferred to local districts to support the poor.

Medicare and Medicaid Lot of the programs still

exist, and help address poverty (total #s decreased). However many question whether programs addressed the root causes of poverty.

“Long Hot Summers”

Race riots in response to racial injustice from 1964-68. Mostly in Northern cities, largely protests against police actions.

Kerner Commission - “America is moving toward two societies - one white, one black.”

Black Nationalism Many African-Americans

were upset with the slow progress of legal civil rights changes and began to reject non-violent methods.

Began to support violence for self-defense and social separation.

Nation of Islam SNCC - repudiated non-

violence Black Panthers - 10 Point

Program

Student Activism Liberal student protesters of

Vietnam and Civil Rights organized their own groups.

Free Speech Movement - focus on free political speech (many arrested during demonstrations).

Students for a Democratic Society - organized major anti-war protests.

Hippie Movement Advocated peace, free

love, and drug use - psychedelics.

Rejected capitalist and “old-fashioned” ideals.

Summer of Love 1967 Woodstock Festival 1969 A counterculture?

1968 Assassinations

1968 Democratic Convention

Anti-war protesters converged on Chicago for the Democratic Convention.

Mayor of Chicago pledged to stop protests.

Protesters attacked by police = total chaos.