Janko, G: America in Transition

The 1950s in the United States were characterized by anti-communism and conformity. Much of the country remained blind to the injustices and the discriminatory practices of the society. The 1960s brought radical and revolutionary change. The catalyst of this change was social movements, which collectively broke the consensual silence in the hope of making a difference. The activists of these interrelated movements, who were most often college students, raised their voices against discrimination that repressed and segregated the black minority. Perhaps the most vibrant center of activism was the San Francisco Bay Area, and its prestigious educational center, the University of California in Berkeley. Students in Berkeley in the early 1960s not only became vocal about perceived injustices, but also conflicted with the university, which banned political activism on its campus. The consequent Free Speech Movement and the Civil Rights Movement transformed students in Berkeley and elsewhere into a community, which prepared the ground for the large scale social transition America went through in the 1960s.