New Frontier
A term used by President John F. Kennedy to describe his agenda aimed at addressing domestic issues and advancing civil rights during the early 1960s.
Freedom Rides
Civil rights activists who rode interstate buses into the segregated southern United States in 1961 to challenge non-enforcement of Supreme Court decisions.
March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom
A large-scale rally held in 1963 advocating for civil and economic rights for African Americans, famously where Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his "I Have a Dream" speech.
Civil Rights Act of 1964
Landmark legislation that prohibited discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin, and aimed to end segregation in schools and public places.
Freedom Summer
A 1964 campaign to increase voter registration among African Americans in Mississippi, which highlighted the struggle for civil rights and voter access.
Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party
A political party formed in 1964 to challenge the legitimacy of the all-white Mississippi Democratic Party, advocating for voting rights for African Americans.
Voting Rights Act
A 1965 law that aimed to eliminate barriers to voting for African Americans, providing federal oversight of voter registration and elections in areas with a history of discrimination.
Black Panther Party
A revolutionary socialist organization founded in 1966 that advocated for armed self-defense against police brutality and promoted community social programs.
Great Society
A set of domestic programs launched by President Lyndon B. Johnson in the 1960s aimed at eliminating poverty and racial injustice, including Medicare and Medicaid.
Gulf of Tonkin Resolution
A congressional resolution passed in 1964 that authorized President Johnson to use military force in Vietnam without a formal declaration of war.
Tet Offensive
A large-scale surprise attack by North Vietnamese and Viet Cong forces against South Vietnam in January 1968, marking a pivotal point in the Vietnam War.
Students for a Democratic Society
A student activist organization founded in 1960 that was central to the New Left movement, advocating for civil rights, anti-war protests, and social justice.
Port Huron Statement
A 1962 manifesto by the Students for a Democratic Society outlining their vision for a more participatory democracy and critiquing the status quo.
Free Speech Movement
A student-led protest in 1964 at the University of California, Berkeley, advocating for political free speech and academic freedom on campus
Counterculture
A social movement in the 1960s and 1970s characterized by the rejection of mainstream values, including opposition to the Vietnam War and the promotion of peace, love, and alternative lifestyles.