1968 Women Liberation Movement
1968 in New York saw women carrying signs calling for equal rights. The Women Liberation Movement was in charge of planning the march. A variety of liberations for women made up the Women Liberation Movement. This phrase was created as a euphemism for other freedom groups of the era. Global in scope, the movement was primarily active in the 1960s and 1970s. It enabled women to unite and express themselves through demonstrations, advocacy, the publication of feminism-related materials, consciousness-raising campaigns, and other actions to demand women's equity and freedom from oppression. (Giardina 39). Image 1 shows women in a demonstration organized under the Women Liberalization Movement. This period was unique in the history of feminism because it was the first time that women liberation movements were organizing joint events. In the 1960s, social movements realized that they had a common goal and started supporting each other and organizing joint events. This picture brings out the agenda of raising consciousness. One placard is aimed at encouraging other women to come out and seek equal rights while the other speaks to men about the need to consider the equality of their female counterparts.
Students in the Anti-war Movement
Figure 2: Protesters at the entrance of Nebraska State Capitol Building to demonstrate solidarity with those who had lost their lives in Vietnam in 1969.
Many individuals and groups with independent interests came up to expressed their opinions about the many wars the US was getting involved into in the 20th century. They would often contest each other on various issues. There were debates on whether the US should get involved in the wars or not. Women's movements, student organizations, environmental movements and African Americans often came out to oppose certain wars. One of the special groups that actively took part in the anti-war movement was students. A majority of those recruited in the forces and sent to the battlefields were young people. College students felt that the process was unnecessary and that the government was oppressing their peers. Therefore, many of them got out to express their dissent with the government actions (Van Dyke 228). The students held demonstrations, presented petitions and held vigils whenever the US lost soldiers in the course of the war. This was in an effort to convince the government to withdraw the forces and consider more peaceful means of conflict resolution.
Figure 2 is unique in the anti-war movement history because the Vietnam war was the first one that Americans almost came to a consensus that the war was unnecessary and was hurting the country. This demonstration was aimed at attracting the attention of the government to reconsider its decision to get involved in the Vietnam war. This was a silent demonstration that was also meant to demonstrate to other civil movements that they could carry out peaceful demonstrations and be able to successfully attract the attention of the stakeholders on the matter of interest.
The Black Power Movement
Figure 3: Malcolm X at UC Berkeley (October 11, 1963)
The Black Power movement gained strength and popularity in the 1950s and 1960s. This movement was created by those who disagreed with the idea that African Americans should seek equality with courage and patience. Dr. Martin Luther King resolved that he will carry out a non-violent protest to injustices that existed in the American society at the time. Malcolm X was one of the many back young men who felt that the patience displayed by the older people such as Dr. Martin Luther was encouraging the oppressors. Malcolm X felt that if the blacks continued being moderate, they would eventually lose control over the movement that they had started by themselves. The Black Power Movement was led by individuals who felt that the whites who perpetrated racism were evil and that black people should not accept collaborating with them. The followers of Black Power Movement wanted immediate equality of races (Joseph 2). The leaders of the movement openly disagreed with other African American activists who felt that they should take a moderate approach towards pushing for racial equality.
This picture was taken about 2 years before Malcolm's assassination. He was one of the influential leaders of the Black Power movement. In an interview with CNN, one of Malcolm's followers states that "We'd cross that bridge if he called us." (Drash, 2010 n.p) This demonstrates the influence that the young leader had on the radical civil rights activists. Malcolm openly disagreed with his Muslim leaders who felt that he should abandon the radical approach to pushing for civil rights and instead work with the leaders to improve the lives of young black people. The picture was taken during one of his most popular speeches. It was recorded and documented and continued influencing members of the movement even after his death.
New Environmentalism
Figure 4: People at a polluted and Quarantined beach in the late 1960s
Before the 1960s, there were two main types of environmentalism: that which lobbied for the sustainable utilization of resources such as timber and the other one that was in charge of preserving wilderness areas. The activism of environmentalists was aimed at regulating how human beings consume what nature produced. In the 1960s, a new wave started coming up. Individuals realized that there were ties between the environment and social problems. The chemicals used in the Second World War were beginning to affect human health (Nash 206). It was becoming evident that increased industrialization is directly linked with environmental and health problems. Individuals started calling on the government to intensify its regulation on industry. Demonstrations were held to sensitize both the public and the government on the importance of coming up with strategies to avoid the devastating effects that the activities of human beings were having on the environment.
Figure 4 is important to the new environmentalism era because many people had not understood the agenda of the new environmentalists. It shows that despite the warning that the beach is polluted, people still continued with their leisure activities. The concept of the social effects of pollution had not penetrated the public and this explains why many people ignored calls by the new environmentalists to give more attention to the impact of their activities on health. The new environmentalists critiqued the government, industrialists, and the population for failing to act and save the environment. This picture is important in bringing out people's negligence on the issue of environmental pollution at the time.
Young Americans for Freedom
Figure 5: Young Americans for Freedom (YAF) demonstrating in support of America's involvement in the Vietnam War in 1964
The 20th century saw the US get involved in many wars. Some Americans felt that the wars were not necessary and were having a negative effect on the wellbeing of the people back at home. There were widespread demonstrations with people expressing their disapproval towards the country's increased involvement in various wars. One of the groups that openly expressed support for the government's actions to enter into wars was Young Americans for Freedom. This group was mainly made up of young people. It drew the attention of the authorities and the public towards various issues affecting the youth. It is important to note that a majority of those recruited to form part of the armed forces were individuals within this age group. Therefore, the Young Americans for Freedom felt that fighting in these wars was part of showing loyalty to the country (Andrew 192).
This photograph was taken at a time when many Americans were tired of the increased number of wars that the government was taking part in. It was likely that the Young Americans for Freedom group was feeling that it was becoming impossible to convince the people to support the government. Therefore, they resorted to asking the masses to support the young people even though they were unwilling to take part in the war themselves. The demonstration took place from the early 1960s to the mid-1970s. They war aimed at countering the anti-war sentiments that were becoming very popular among Americans.
The Hippies
Figure 6: A meeting Convened by the Hippies in the 1960s
The Hippie movement was popular among college students in the US in the 1950s and 1960s. Individuals belonging to this movement tried out things that other people had never done or seen before. Some of the things associated with this group included drugs, indulgence in explicit sexual behavior, tie-dye, and rock and roll. Most of the aspects of culture tried by members of the movement were things that one would associate with the youth (Miller 12). The members came up with their own thoughts and ideas about the ideal social values. They believed that their actions were the best for America's future. The Hippies would meet and have long talks and even sing together. Their meetings would often attract the attention of the public and the media. They believed that any young person who was willing to try out new aspects in regard to politics, religion, family, and other dimensions of life was bound to live a good life unlike those who stuck to the norms that exist in the mainstream society.
The picture shows a gathering convened by the Hippies. It shows a large number of people seated in a specified pattern. It demonstrates the loyalty with which the hippies treated the movement. The fact that they were learned people made it easy to get along despite each having their own opinion and outlook on the pertinent issues of socioeconomic and political aspects of life. Each person had to ensure that they do things different from the rest of the Americans. In Figure 6, these individuals aim at catching the attention of the public by these assemblies.
The Brown Power Movement
Figure 7: The Brown Berets (part of the Chicano Movement) demonstrating against police brutality by officers from Los Angeles Police Department in the 1960s
Racism in the United States affected all the minority racial groups. The Chicano (Brown Power) movement came up in the 1960s in response to increased racism in social, economic, and political institutions. The movement's main agenda was to campaign for the rights of Mexican-Americans. This group of people has been victimized because it cannot easily camouflage by getting assimilated into the rest of the American citizens like other immigrants that formed part of the majority groups. The group's activities could also include lobbying for the rights of Immigrants in general. The coming up of this movement was motivated by the growing wave of Civil Rights Movements which were becoming stronger in advocating for the rights of their members (Muñoz 3). The Chicano movement broadened with time as other groups came up in support of their agenda. For instance, the Brown Berets came up in the 1960s as a parallel of the Black Power movement. It protested against specific issues such as police brutality, opposed the war in Vietnam, and supported farm workers who were mainly Mexican immigrants.
The image shows a new breed of the Chicano Movement. The Brown Berets had come up with new ways of pressing the authorities to meet their demands and inform the public. The group came up with a newspaper that was used to articulate the issues of concern. In this picture, they are demonstrating against the actions of police officers from Los Angeles Police Department. Their entry into the Chicano Movement helped in the process of shedding light on the finer issues facing the immigrants.
American Indian Movement
Figure 8: Founding of the American Indian Movement in Minneapolis in 1968
America is a country that is mainly made up of immigrants. However, there were individuals who existed in the country before everyone else, referred to as Native Americans. These individuals were displaced as immigrants came in and the government had made promises on compensating them by returning their land or resettlement. In the 1960s, when all the other groups with grievances were forming movements, the Native Americans came together and formed a political movement aimed at pushing for their civic rights. Some of the key grievances presented by Native Americans was interruption of their way of life by the government and the immigrants, for instance, they were stopped from fishing in rivers that they had had access to for a long time. The activities of the Red Power Movement involved confrontations with government officials and efforts to break the laws. These individuals lived among the urban poor and their actions were influenced by the blacks. They felt that they had to become violent as a way of persuading the government into giving into their demands. The American Indian movement was most significant within the Red Power Movement. Its activities were mainly centered at Minneapolis from where it was formed. They fought against police brutality and sensitized the rest of the Native Americans across the country on the importance of reclaiming their land (Johnson 9).
Figure 8 shows the function that was held to officially launch the American Indian Movement. This movement was radical and it aimed at using force to reclaim the property and civil rights of the Native Americans. From the message on the banner, one can understand that the purpose of the movement was to prevent encroachment on resources belonging to the natives and reclaim what was under their control by continuing to resist as they had been doing before.
Works Cited
Andrew, John A. The other side of the sixties: Young Americans for freedom and the rise of conservative politics. Rutgers University Press, 1997.
Drash, Wayne. Malcolm X killer freed after 44 years. Cable News Network, April 28, 2010.
Giardina, Carol. Freedom for Women: Forging the Women's Liberation Movement, 1953-1970. University Press of Florida, 2010.
Johnson, Troy R. Red Power: The Native American Civil Rights Movement. Infobase Publishing, 2009.
Joseph, Peniel E., ed. The Black power movement: rethinking the civil rights-Black Power era. Taylor & Francis, 2006.
Miller, Timothy S. The hippies and American values. Univ. of Tennessee Press, 2012.
Muñoz, Carlos. Youth, identity, power: The Chicano movement. Verso, 1989.
Nash, Linda. "The fruits of ill-health: pesticides and workers' bodies in post-world war II California." Osiris 19 (2004): 203-219.
Van Dyke, Nella. "Crossing movement boundaries: Factors that facilitate coalition protest by American college students, 1930–1990." Social problems50.2 (2003): 226-250.
