American Decades Primary Sources: 1960-1969

The 1960s saw the world come to the brink of nuclear war as the United States and Soviet Union faced off in the Cuban Missile Crisis, and U.S. advisors and troops were sent to Vietnam to combat communist forces wanting to take over that country. President John F. Kennedy was assassinated as he campaigned in Texas for reelection, plunging the nation into stunned mourning. Martin Luther King Jr. gave his inspiring I Have a Dream speech at the March on Washington, and the Civil Rights Act became law, but King himself was assassinated. While the 1960s contained the upheaval of violence and change, is also saw the colorful burst of tie dye, the first airing of Sesame Street, the wild popularity of the Beatles, and the first man to walk on the moon.

The following documents are just a sampling of the offerings available in this volume:

Lyrics to Blowin in the Wind, by Bob Dylan, and flyer for the March on Washington to protest the Vietnam War, where Peter, Paul, and Mary performed the song Unsafe at Any Speed, by consumer advocate Ralph Nader As the Seed Is Sown, report on Head Start program Tye Dye clothing Codes of conduct for use by troops in Vietnam: Nine Rules, The Enemy in Your Hands, and Guidance for Commanders in Vietnam Prayer of the Farm Workers Struggle, by Cesar Chavez Vast Wasteland speech delivered by FCC Chairman Newton Minow to the National Asso