The Radical, Social Movements In The 1960's

The 1950s and 1960s was a period of growth and prosperity in America. Features of the common life included innovations such as television, dishwasher, and home air-conditioning. However, not all Americans equally benefited from the economic growth of this period of time. In addition to Jim Crow laws and unequal economic opportunities, America’s society became further segregated as many whites moved to the suburbs while blacks remained in run-down city neighborhoods. These many inequalities sparked the civil rights movement, where African Americans stood up and fought for their rights using nonviolent methods. The movement influenced the emergence of many prominent figures including Martin Luther King Jr. and Rosa Parks. The civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s was successful in achieving equal rights for African Americans through nonviolent protests such as the Montgomery bus boycott, sit-ins, and marches.

At a time when labour unions were gaining in memberships, organization, and bargaining power, women in the workforce made marginal gains during this period considering the booming economy. Sociologically, a healthy economy should in theory provide the framework for change. When citizens have low unemployment and more money in their pockets, time and attention is less directed at bread and butter issues like sustenance and poverty, and aimed at equality and social progress. For women unfortunately, this was not necessarily the case. Their battle with employers was still a struggle between classes than gender parity. Male union leadership would naturally further male worker interests first,8 and this shows a culture of sexism in the workplace that was clearly difficult for working women to overcome. Even union-dues paying women rarely openly questioned their subordination as a sex.9 They were most likely outnumbered and the consequences of being a whistle blower did not want to be entertained. In the mindset of women who worked however, was a developing identity as female wage earners and unionists.10

Social movements of the 1960’s and 1970’s have been interpreted and written about in varying ways. While contemporary scholarship disagrees with past analyses and offer fresh perspectives, past research can also provide a pathway for defining important questions for future research on social movements in America.

American life was transformed in the 1960s from the start of the decade. The 1960s consisted of new rights and new understandings of freedom. The sixties consisted of rights for racial minorities to be involved in the mainstream of the American lifestyle. However, unsolved issues of urban poverty still existed. Women in the 1960s established a conversion in women’s status, for instance, women entered the paid workforce. America experienced a growth of conservative movements, consequently, the 1960s would confront judgment for social ill, crime and drug abuse and drug abuse as well as decline respect towards authority. In despite of crisis, America became a tolerant nation. The sixties are known as a decade of drastic change, rebellion, and backlash. Also, for the American individuals that came of age during the sixties, the generation known as the “Baby Boomers,” wanted to change the culture of their parents. Terry Anderson and Peter Clecak both present different judgment of the social activism of the 1960s. Terry H. Anderson, from the The Sea Change, implied that the sixties achieved a positive transformation within politics, society culture, and foreign power. Anderson believed that America became more democratic as well as comprehensive. (361) On the contrary, Peter Clecak, from The New Left, argued that radicals failed to revolutionize in the sixties and additionally became powerless against the dominant social order. (361) Although certain Americans opposed and judged

The feminist movement of the 1960’s focused solely on the improvement and well- being of women. The idea of Feminism is a critical theory as it is an analytical examination of social conditions and what tools could be utilized to proactively improve these conditions. Overcoming the consistent barriers women had to endure during this era remains prevalent and continues to have psychological effects. In order to strengthen one’s mindset regarding feminism, we must first refer back and understand the intellectual history of the women’s movement and examine areas of how counseling can assist with overcoming these impediments. The Feminist philosophy is the philosophical dimension of intellectual feminism. Many philosophers understand their intellectual history and the history of the women's movement in terms of three "waves."

People’s lives were both directly and indirectly affected by the politics of the sixties. Society reacted to political events in different ways depending on what social class they belonged to. The tone of the decade was one of rebellion. One significant influence was the feminist movement and women’s rights. The Feminine Mystique by Betty Friedan inspired many women and caused new women’s groups to be created. Women all across the country began to question the roles they had and fight for equal rights (Horton 32-41). Birth control was legalized in the United States, and abortion was a huge topic of controversy (Holland 126). Women wanted to be able to procure abortions without the risk of complications, and many got abortions even though they were illegal and in most cases, unsafe (Singleton 2). Women also wanted to get paid the same wages for doing the same work as men, which eventually happened in 1963 with the passing of the Equal Pay Act (Horton 41).

When a diversity of communities come together to demand social or political change it is evident that something is wrong with the judicial system. Throughout American History, millions of people worldwide have gathered to support each other by gathering and protesting for what they believe is right. Social movements such as The Abolition Movement, The American Revolution, Women 's Rights Movement, and The Civil Rights Movement are examples of the significant impact they have made to American History. Two rising controversial movements that seem to be rising are the “Black Lives Matter” and the “Blue Lives Matter” movements where in some cases the outcomes seemed righteous as to others, actions were unjustifiable which have caused

In the latter half of the 1960's, America has already been swept by an unparalleled wave of activism. From the Civil Rights Movement to the Free Speech Movement, Americans from across the country began tuned into the nation's political pulse. It was from these earlier movements that the Counterculture and the Antiwar Movements proceeded. Sometimes viewed as tearing the unity of America, these movements actually protested and combated the rigidity of American society as well as the ever-increasing encroachment of the United States government (in their lives and the world). Their actions lead to increased social awareness of the nation's state of affairs and the importance of self determination.

The counterculture movement was largely a reaction to the dissatisfaction with American domestic and foreign policy. Large and frequent political protests like the one pictured here show how disenchanted Americans were becoming with their government. By protesting, young Americans felt politically empowered and part of the democracy. The anti-war protests were not always handled well by the authorities.

In this article, it goes through the importance and big events that happened in the 1960s. The sixties were known as the “golden age”. John F. Kennedy became our president in 1961. During his presidential campaign, he promised the “New Frontier” that sought to eliminate injustice and inequality. It was not until 1964 that President Johnson could enact his reforms. He set programs as in Medicare and Medicaid that could help the poorer people. The War of Vietnam began and it was an expensive war that the U.S. could not afford. Many protests occurred and some even fled to Canada. Of course, the Civil Rights occurred, which President Johnson pushed to pass the Civil Right's and Voting Right’s Act to be enacted. Which even after these rights were

The 1960s was a decade of change and resistance towards the government and mainstream culture. African Americans fought to remove remnants of racial inequalities from slavery in return for new civil liberties. The civil rights movement involved various sit-ins, protests, and marches to fight segregation and oppression. Teenagers freely expressed their opposition to the war as well as their dissent towards the establishment. Both the anti-war movement and the hippie movement revolved around a universal fight for peace.

The Fifties and Sixties was a time of change for the United States. The atmosphere in America had changed along with the people. From the bland Fifties to the colorful Sixties, the political and social climate was different. A huge part of the new found “color” in the Sixties is blamed on the huge growth of teenagers.

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The ‘60s were the age of youth, as millions of children’s from post World War II became teenagers and rebelled against the conservative fifties. Denying civil rights to African-Americans and liberation to teenagers in previous

The 1960s were marked by extreme changes in social norms and culture that shocked the elders of