The 1960s continue to be the subject of passionate debate and political controversy, a touchstone in struggles over the meaning of the American past and the direction of the American future. Amid the polemics and the myths, making sense of the Sixties and its legacies presents a challenge. This book is for all those who want to take it on. Because there are so many facets to this unique and transformative era, this volume offers multiple approaches and perspectives. The first section gives a lively narrative overview of the decade's major policies, events, and cultural changes. The second presents ten original interpretative essays from prominent historians about significant and controversial issues from the Vietnam War to the sexual revolution, followed by a concise encyclopedia articles organized alphabetically. This section could stand as a reference work in itself and serves to supplement the narrative. Subsequent sections include short topical essays, special subjects, a brief chronology, and finally an extensive annotated bibliography with ample information on books, films, and electronic resources for further exploration.
With interesting facts, statistics, and comparisons presented in almanac style as well as the expertise of prominent scholars, The Columbia Guide to America in the 1960s is the most complete guide to an enduringly fascinating era.
The Columbia Guide to America in the 1960s
Description
Table of Contents
Part 1: The American Sixties: A Brief History John Kennedy and the Promise of Leadership The Civil Rights Revolution The Great Society The Vietnam War Polarization Sixties Culture Part 2: Debating the Sixties The Upheaval of Jim Crow: African Americans and the Struggle for Civil Rights in the 1960s, by Beth Tompkins Bates The New Left: Democratic Reformers or Left-Wing Revolutionaries?, by Doug Rossinow Losing Ground? The Great Society in Historical Perspective, by Edward Berkowitz Urban Uprisings: Riots or Rebellions?, by Heather Ann Thompson Explaining the Tragedy of Vietnam, by Richard H. Innerman The Women's Movement: Liberation for Whom?, by Beth Bailey Debating the Counterculture: Ecstasy and Anxiety over the Hip Alternative, by Michael Wm. Doyle Political Conservatism in the Sixties: Silent Majority or White Backlash?, by Jeff Roche The Sixties Legacy: "The Destructive Generation" or "Years of Hope"?, by David Farber Part 3: The Sixties A to Z Part 4: Short Topical Essays Part 5: Special Sections Part 6: Chronology Part 7: Annotated Bibliography
Author Description
David Farber is the author/editor of three books on the sixties including The Age of Great Dreams and Chicago '68. A professor of history at the University of New Mexico, he has been described by Alan Brinkley as the leading scholar in the field.Beth Bailey is the author of three books, including Sex in the Heartland- described by Carolyn See in the Washington Post as "a treasury of useful information"-and From Front Porch to Back Seat: Courtship in Twentieth-Century America. She is an associate professor of American Studies at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque.