Social and Cultural movements of the 1960's
1964- The War on Poverty- Declared by Lyndon Johnson as a result of Michael Harrington's book on poverty, The Other America. Congress created the Office of Economic Opportunity which had a billion dollar budget. This provided self help programs for the citizens who suffer from poverty, an early start for preschoolers, the Job Corps for vocational education, literary programs and legal services. This did successfully help a significant amount of American families out of poverty. Civil Rights Movement- This is the most well-known movement of the 1960s because of the impact it still has on our economy and life today. As teenagers, it is hard to imagine a life where racial discrimination is a problem. We have been raised to treat everyone as equal and anything that goes against that feels unreal. Racial discrimination and segregation was a major problem facing African Americans. Martin Luther King Jr. become famous during this movement. Racial discrimination was more prominent in the South than in the North. In the South, it was common for employment ads to be separated in two categories, "Negros," and "Whites." Many African Americans made nonviolent protests to gain voting rights and equality. The Civil Rights Legislation was passed because many American Citizens witnessed a police officer order his dog to attack peaceful protesters. The New Left- the Port Huron Statement stated the term "new left" which was meant to attack the lack of individual freedom and the power of the government, universities, and corporations. Hippies- This group, made up of mostly middle-class whites, affected the sex and drug culture. They are mostly known now through tie-dye shirts, long hair, and beards. |