No decade in American history was more socially, culturally, and politically rebellious and revolutionary than the 1960s, an era so extraordinary that “iconic” was the norm. The national post-World War II mood of confidence and optimism gave way to a loss of faith in established institutions and an assault on traditional behavior. In a milieu of Cold War tensions abroad and social unrest at home, Americans turned against their leaders and each other. Activism was in the air: free speech and Freedom Summer. Sit in and drop out. March to Selma and march on the Pentagon. The Sixties. History in motion. At warp speed. And we may never be the same.

Focusing primarily on how these events affected the lives of ordinary Americans, participants will consider selected primary sources (documents, photographs, oral history, and, of course, the music) to better appreciate the explosive force of the sixties. Baby boomers welcomed!

Topics include:

I. Prosperity, Conformity, and Consensus in Post-war America

II. Rebels, Revolutionaries, and the End of Consensus

III. Vietnam: There–and Here

IV. Life in the Great Society

V. Eyes on the Prize

VI. The Music Was the Message