It was the decade of discontent and the decade of peace, love, and
understanding: the 1960s. It's time to channel your inner flower child
and enjoy this issue of Retroview, a groovy look back at a time
of great cultural change in the U.S. through the pages of ProQuest
Historical Newspapers. Know an ex-hippie? Feel free to pass it on to her or him!
Entertainment, or Anarchy?
The challenges, uprisings, and shifting attitudes of the late 1960s were not only evident in the streets of America and jungles of Vietnam, but also on television.
In 1967, The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour premiered on CBS opposite ratings leader Bonanza. Surprisingly, the newcomer knocked Bonanza out of the number one position. The brothers quickly became controversial. They invited blacklisted folk singer Pete Seeger to perform on the show, and his hit song Waist Deep in the Big Muddy was censored. Sketches alluding to drug use, sexual freedom, and the Vietnam War were regularly censored.
The Smothers Brothers led the way for Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In and more provocative comedy on popular shows like the Tonight Show, but they were abruptly canceled in April 1969. CBS cited "breach of contract," while the Smothers Brothers cried censorship. As Tommy Smothers remarked, "We'd be moderate in any other medium, but TV makes us look like revolutionary anarchists in comparison."
The Fair Sex Fights Back
The "second wave" of the Women's Movement gained momentum in the 1960s with a series of legislative and court victories as well as changing social attitudes. But, this progress was slow and did not end the challenges women faced every day.
Women were bombarded with mixed messages that encouraged them to move beyond traditional feminine roles—but not too far. Education and career aspirations were encouraged as long as they didn't get in the way of a husband's will or attempt to break down masculine structures.
However, progress was made as women fought battles against sexism. While a woman could not buy a seat on the New York Stock Exchange in 1965, for example, she could in 1968—a year full of "firsts" for women. As the decade wound down, the "revolutionary politics" attacking "women's oppression" was just heating up.
Far Out. Really Far Out!
Who could put a man on the moon first—Russia or the United States? In the 1960s, the "race for space" sparked the imagination of a nation. It fueled job growth; propelled scientific advances in food, health care, and other industries; and inspired artists and entertainers. See how the potential for space travel pervaded American culture.
Kicky Fashions to Sew Yourself
Jackie Kennedy ushered in the 1960s with the pillbox hat. The hippies ushered it out with bell-bottom jeans and tie-dyed shirts. Another fashion of the decade was making your own clothes to reflect your unique style. Get your 1960s fashion groove on here!
Games and Toys
The decade saw the introduction of Hot Wheels, Etch A Sketch, TWISTER, Barrel of Monkeys, EASY-BAKE Oven, and many other entertainments still with us today. See what else might have been in a child's home or backyard in the 1960s.
Primitive Dancing
A number of new dance crazes spread across the nation in the 1960s. The moves were so "primitive" that while couples danced together, they never held each other—a big departure from previous decades. Often, the dance moves were introduced in conjunction with a hit song. Start here to get hep to the jive.
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Chicago Daily Defender,
December 31, 1969
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