So many of my subscribers have asked for this so here is the complete first show from my prime time television series produced in 1990 titled Making Sense Of The Sixties. I decided that, to tell a story correctly so that those of younger generations could understand what provoked so many baby boomers to become members (selfdefined) of the 60s generation, I had to begin by looking at the 1950s which is what is presented during this video.

Although I have mentioned this before, it needs to be said that the series was focused largely on the experiences had by suburban middleclass "American dream" kids and on the kids who grew up in the South during the era of Jim Crow – segregation.

There were several signs in the late 1950s that hinted at the major shifts that would occur in the 1960s. These precursors spanned various aspects of society, from culture and music to political activism and scientific advancements.

The Beat Generation, or "Beatniks," began to emerge in the late 1950s as a countercultural literary movement. Figures like Jack Kerouac and Allen Ginsberg rejected mainstream societal norms and values, promoting nonconformity, spiritual questing, and sexual liberation. This laid the groundwork for the countercultural movements of the 1960s.

The emergence of rock 'n' roll music and artists like Elvis Presley and Chuck Berry began to push the boundaries of what was socially acceptable, sparking controversy but also gaining a massive following among young people. This new music genre broke down barriers and foreshadowed the even more boundarypushing music of the 1960s.

The Civil Rights Movement began in earnest in the mid1950s, with major events like the Montgomery Bus Boycott in 19551956, sparked by Rosa Parks' arrest, and the desegregation of Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas, in 1957. These events signaled a growing determination among African Americans and their allies to challenge and overturn racial segregation and discrimination.

The launch of the Soviet satellite Sputnik in 1957 marked the beginning of the Space Age and the space race between the U.S. and the Soviet Union. This intensified focus on scientific and technological advancement continued into the 1960s.

The postWorld War II baby boom had led to a significant increase in the youth population. This demographic shift, coupled with increased economic prosperity, led to the emergence of a distinct youth culture, which would become a major cultural force in the 1960s.

The proliferation of television sets in American homes brought national and world events into living rooms, making the exchange of information and ideas faster. This trend continued into the 1960s, allowing events like the Vietnam War and the Civil Rights Movement to be broadcasted and experienced in realtime.

The early 1960s did share similarities with the 1950s in terms of societal norms, political tension, and cultural outlook. However, several significant events and movements began to emerge during this period that led to drastic changes later in the decade.

The shift from the 1950s to the 1960s was not sudden but rather a gradual evolution marked by an increasingly vocal dissatisfaction with societal inequalities and the emergence of various political and social movements.

The election of John F. Kennedy in 1960 symbolized a generational shift in American politics. Kennedy was the youngest person ever elected president and brought a sense of youthful energy and optimism that contrasted with the more conservative and traditional 1950s.

The publication of "The Feminine Mystique" by Betty Friedan in 1963 is often credited with sparking the second wave of feminism. The book criticized the societal expectation that women could find fulfillment only through housework, marriage, sexual passivity, and motherhood.

The increasing accessibility of television and other media began to expose more people to different ideas and perspectives, contributing to societal change.

The competition between the U.S. and the Soviet Union to achieve firsts in spaceflight capability was a significant part of the 1960s, reaching its peak with the Apollo 11 moon landing in 1969. This achievement boosted national pride but also highlighted the significant financial and technological resources spent on the race to space.

By the mid1960s, these factors coalesced, leading to more pronounced social, cultural, and political shifts that characterized the era as a time of significant change and upheaval. The conservative order of the 1950s was increasingly challenged as more and more people began to question and push back against longstanding societal norms and expectations.

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