1960s

When the 1960s began on Friday, January 1, 1960, the United States was coming off of a decade of prosperity and growth that had instilled a sense of confidence and optimism in many Americans. The economy was booming, more people enjoyed a higher standard of living, and the nation had cemented itself as a leader on the world stage. However, as the 1960s progressed, awareness spread that access to the American dream of affordable housing, stable employment, and higher education was not equally extended to everyone in the nation. By decade's end, a president and a civil rights pioneer had been murdered, U.S. involvement in a foreign war had deepened, protesters and police were battling in the streets, and the...