1968 in the United States

1968 in the United States
Year	1968
Nation	United States
President	Lyndon B. Johnson
Vice president	Hubert Humphrey
Capitol	Washington, D.C.
Major events	Tet Offensive, Assassination of Martin Luther King Jr., Assassination of Robert F. Kennedy, 1968 Democratic National Convention, Prague Spring

1968 in the United States

1968 in the United States was a year of intense upheaval marked by high-profile assassinations, large-scale protests, and transformative political shifts that reshaped American politics and society. Major events such as the Tet Offensive, the Assassination of Martin Luther King Jr., the Assassination of Robert F. Kennedy, and the clashes at the 1968 Democratic National Convention intersected with ongoing debates over the Vietnam War, civil rights struggles led by figures like Martin Luther King Jr. and Stokely Carmichael, and cultural changes reflected in music by Bob Dylan, The Beatles, and Jimi Hendrix.

Incumbents

- President: Lyndon B. Johnson (Democrat) - Vice President: Hubert Humphrey (Democrat) - Chief Justice: Earl Warren - Speaker of the House: John McCormack - Senate Majority Leader: Mike Mansfield - Governor of New York: Nelson Rockefeller; Governor of California: Ronald Reagan - Mayor of New York City: John Lindsay

Events

The year opened with the ongoing Tet Offensive in Vietnam War operations involving the United States Marine Corps, United States Army, and allied forces, prompting national debate in Washington, D.C. and media coverage by outlets like The New York Times, The Washington Post, and CBS News. On April 4 the Assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. in Memphis, Tennessee sparked riots in Washington, D.C., Chicago, Baltimore, and other cities, prompting federal responses from Lyndon B. Johnson and interventions by the National Guard. In June the Assassination of Robert F. Kennedy in Los Angeles shocked supporters of the Democratic Party and delegations preparing for the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago. The August convention saw violent clashes between demonstrators organized by groups including the Yippies, Students for a Democratic Society, and participants influenced by Black Power advocates and police forces under Chicago law enforcement, producing televised confrontations involving the Chicago Police Department and federal authorities. November's presidential election resulted in victory for Richard Nixon of the Republican Party over Hubert Humphrey and George Wallace, with Wallace's third-party challenge under the American Independent Party influencing electoral outcomes in Southern states.

Politics and government

Domestic policy debates centered on Great Society programs advanced by Lyndon B. Johnson and contested by Republican Party figures like Richard Nixon and conservative leaders such as Barry Goldwater. Congressional action and judicial rulings continued to shape civil rights litigation involving the Supreme Court of the United States under Earl Warren, while executive decisions on Vietnam War strategy, peace negotiations with representatives of North Vietnam and diplomats connected to Paris Peace Talks, and the use of military force were central topics. The presidential campaign featured candidates Lyndon B. Johnson (who withdrew), Robert F. Kennedy (assassinated), Eugene McCarthy, Hubert Humphrey, Richard Nixon, and George Wallace; debates over draft policy, foreign policy realism associated with Henry Kissinger's later advisory role, and law-and-order themes framed the political landscape.

Social movements and civil rights

Civil rights activism evolved with leaders and organizations including Martin Luther King Jr., Coretta Scott King, Stokely Carmichael, Stokely Carmichael's association with SNCC, the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, and labor allies such as the United Auto Workers. Urban unrest followed King's assassination, with federal interventions and local curfews enacted by municipal authorities in Detroit, Washington, D.C., and Los Angeles. Antiwar protests grew as part of networks linking Students for a Democratic Society, the New Left, and countercultural groups connected to events like the Human Be-In and music festivals where artists including Janis Joplin, The Who, and Jimi Hendrix performed. The emergence of Black Power rhetoric influenced electoral politics and community organizing, while Native American activism by groups later known as American Indian Movement and feminist organizing tied to figures such as Betty Friedan and publications like Ms. began to shift public discourse.

Culture and society

Popular culture reflected turmoil and innovation: albums by The Beatles (post-Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band era), Jimi Hendrix's iconic performances, and Bob Dylan's ongoing influence intersected with film releases from Stanley Kubrick and Francis Ford Coppola-era filmmakers. Television dramas and news coverage on CBS News anchors such as Walter Cronkite shaped public perceptions of the Vietnam War and protests. Movements in literature included works discussed alongside authors like James Baldwin, Norman Mailer, and Truman Capote. Sports moments involved athletes such as Muhammad Ali, whose stance on the draft and subsequent legal battles highlighted intersections of culture, law, and politics. Changes in immigration debates and demographic shifts informed policy discussions in state capitals like Albany, New York and Sacramento, California.

Science, technology, and economy

In science and technology, federal programs at NASA continued toward the Apollo program lunar objectives, with contractors like North American Aviation and research centers including Marshall Space Flight Center active in development. Advances in computing by companies such as IBM and research at institutions like Massachusetts Institute of Technology influenced commercial and defense applications. Economic conditions featured inflationary pressures debated by economists associated with Harvard University and University of Chicago policy circles, with debates over fiscal policy in the United States Congress and labor negotiations involving unions such as the United Auto Workers affecting manufacturing centers in Detroit and Cleveland.

Births and deaths

Notable births in 1968 included future figures across politics, arts, and sports who later rose to prominence in institutions like United States Congress, Hollywood, and professional leagues. Prominent deaths that year included Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert F. Kennedy, along with cultural figures whose legacies influenced subsequent movements in civil rights, law, and popular culture; their funerals and memorials drew leaders from organizations such as the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and delegations from international capitals like London and Paris.

Category:1968 in the United States