1960s: Counterculture and Civil Rights Movement | HISTORY 1960s The 1960s marked one of the most tumultuous and divisive decades in world history. The era saw an energized civil rights movement, the Vietnam War and antiwar protests, countercultural movements, political assassinations and the emerging "generation gap." Featured Overview The 1960s Historian Yohuru Williams sums up the tumultuous political and cultural movements of the 1960s. 2:03m watch Illustration by Eduardo Ramón Trejo. Photos from Getty Images. Featured Overview The 1960s Historian Yohuru Williams sums up the tumultuous political and cultural movements of the 1960s. 2:03m watch Start Here Was 1968 America’s Bloodiest Year in Politics? War. Assassinations. Riots. Violent protest clashes. America was certainly no stranger to political violence, but 1968 appeared to bring the bloodletting to new heights. 8 Facts About the John F. Kennedy Assassination Explore facts about the 1963 JFK assassination, the perpetrator, investigations...and conspiracy theories surrounding the event. 5 Reasons Why Woodstock ’69 Became Legendary The Woodstock music festival may not have been a smoothly run event, but it featured electric moments—musical and otherwise—that made it unforgettable. How the Vietnam War Empowered the Hippie Movement The hippie counterculture reached its height during the escalation of U.S. involvement in Vietnam, and subsided as the conflict drew to a close. The Great Society The Great Society What did President Lyndon B. Johnson envision with his suite of domestic programs known as the Great Society? What did the programs entail, and what became of them after the 1960s? 3:43m watch 3 Major Assassinations of the 1960s John F. Kennedy (1963) America’s 35th president, John F. Kennedy, was assassinated on November 22, 1963, at 12:30 p.m. while riding in a motorcade during a campaign visit to Dallas. His murder sent shockwaves around the world and turned Kennedy into a larger-than-life heroic figure. Martin Luther King Jr. (1968) An assassin’s bullet felled the civil rights leader in Memphis, Tennessee, on April 4, 1968, leading to an outpouring of anger among Black Americans, as well as a period of national mourning. His untimely death helped speed the way for an equal housing bill that would be the last significant legislative achievement of the civil rights era. Robert F. Kennedy (1968) In the early hours of June 5, 1968, shortly after delivering a speech to celebrate his win in the California primary, Democratic presidential candidate and former U.S. Attorney General Robert Kennedy was shot outside the ballroom of the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles. He died the next day at age 42. Explore All Related Topics AllArticlesVideos 1960s 1960s Events1960s CultureRobert Kennedy1960s Politics1960s Protests + 1 moreSee All Related Subtopics Who Cleaned Up After Woodstock ‘69? Yasgur's farm looked like a 'war zone,' but months later, all the garbage was gone. Woodstock The Woodstock Music Festival began on August 15, 1969 in Bethel, New York. Billed as "3 Days of Peace and Music,” the epic event become synonymous with the counterculture movement of the 1960s. Behind Martin Luther King’s Searing ‘Letter from Birmingham Jail’ King penned of the civil rights movement's seminal texts while in solitary confinement, initially on the margins of a newspaper. Why the Watershed 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival Was Overshadowed for 50 Years During the same summer as the legendary Woodstock music festival, the Harlem concert series featured major African American artists against a backdrop of massive social change. Advertisement Lee Harvey Oswald: Plan, Chaos or Conspiracy? In an excerpt from his new book, author Steven M. Gillon details the final hours of Lee Harvey Oswald's life. Why Black American Athletes Raised Their Fists at the 1968 Olympics After sprinters Tommie Smith and John Carlos made a defiant gesture from the awards podium at the Games, they faced repercussions—but also gained respect. How the Black Power Protest at the 1968 Olympics Killed Careers When Tommie Smith and John Carlos raised their fists in protest at the 1968 Summer Games, Australian runner Peter Norman stood by them. It lost him his career. 8 Little-Known Facts About the Moon Landing When Neil Armstrong stepped down a ladder and onto the moon on July 20, 1969, the nation achieved an audacious vision. But there were surprising moments along the way and not everything went as expected. Advertisement Advertisement 1969 Moon Landing Explore the history of Apollo 11, the first moon landing, including JFK's vision, NASA's Apollo program and a complete mission timeline. The Amazing Handmade Tech That Powered Apollo 11’s Moon Voyage Yes, there was rocket science. But there were also extraordinary amounts of low-tech weaving, stitching and caulking. Apollo 11 Moon Landing Timeline: From Liftoff to Splashdown Neil Armstrong’s celebrated “one small step” was far from the most dangerous maneuver in the effort to send three men to the moon and return them home a week later. See a timeline of the entire mission. How the Yippies ‘Stuck It to the Man’ at the 1968 DNC The Yippies found their voice by organizing an absurdist counter-convention—including nominating a pig for president. Advertisement How The Beach Boys and the Beatles Pushed Each Other to Greatness The competition between the two bands led to some of the most forward-looking and influential music of all time. How The Beach Boys Gave 1960s Surf Culture a Soundtrack The pop sound of The Beach Boys blended Brian Wilson’s musical ambitions with the Californian dream. Woodstock, the Legendary 1969 Festival, Was Also a Miserable Mud Pit To see the epic performances at Woodstock, attendees endured crowds, rain, minimal food and water—and lots of mud. Woodstock 1969: How a Music Festival That Should’ve Been a Disaster Became Iconic Instead More than fifty years later, people are still trying to match the bizarre accident that was Woodstock ‘69. Load more Advertisement