The Turbulent 60sTimes of change

In the beginning… JFK in office “New Frontier” of

social change Public service

engages the youth JFK commits to going

to the moon within the decade

Things start to change… Cuban Missile

Crisis/Bay of Pigs Southern Democrats

and Republicans resist social change re: Civil rights

Vietnam War Space Race turns

political

Americans enter into darkness… 1963 Assassination of

JFK

Vietnam War

Americans enter into darkness… Counterculture creates

generational divide

Death of our heroes

Cold War People lived with the

fear of nuclear annihilation or Soviet invasion

The “Space Race” illustrated the competition

Race Relations Civil Rights brought

social activism to the political forefront

Caused the country to split ideologically—Role models emerged; villains did, too.

More Social Rights Groups The Women’s Movement

Emerged as women fought to pass the Equal Rights Amendment to the US Constitution

Gay Rights also erupted in the counterculture, but was less accepted

Vietnam War The first war fought

“on television” US involvement in a

civil war divides the nation

A taste of vulnerability