1968 Democratic National Convention protests

1968 Democratic National Convention protests were a series of protests and demonstrations held in Chicago, Illinois, from August 26 to August 29, 1968, during the 1968 Democratic National Convention. The protests were organized by various groups, including the National Mobilization Committee to End the War in Vietnam (MOBE), the Students for a Democratic Society (SDS), and the Youth International Party (YIP), and were attended by thousands of people, including Abbie Hoffman, Jerry Rubin, and Tom Hayden. The protests were a culmination of the growing anti-Vietnam War movement, which had been gaining momentum since the Gulf of Tonkin incident in 1964, and were also influenced by the Civil Rights Movement, led by figures such as Martin Luther King Jr. and Rosa Parks.

Background

The 1968 Democratic National Convention was held in Chicago, Illinois, from August 26 to August 29, 1968, and was expected to be a contentious event, with many Democratic Party delegates opposed to the Vietnam War and the party's establishment. The National Mobilization Committee to End the War in Vietnam (MOBE) and other anti-war groups had been planning protests and demonstrations for months, and had applied for permits to hold rallies and marches in Grant Park and other locations in Chicago. However, the Chicago Police Department, led by Richard J. Daley, was determined to maintain order and prevent disruptions to the convention, and had developed a plan to deal with the expected protests, which included the use of tear gas and other forms of crowd control. The protests were also influenced by the Counterculture of the 1960s, which was characterized by the emergence of hippie culture, the Summer of Love, and the music of Bob Dylan, Jimi Hendrix, and The Beatles.

Planning and Organization

The planning and organization of the protests were led by a coalition of anti-war groups, including MOBE, SDS, and YIP, which had been working together since the 1967 March on the Pentagon. The coalition had applied for permits to hold rallies and marches in Grant Park and other locations in Chicago, but had been denied by the Chicago Park District, which was controlled by Richard J. Daley. Despite the lack of permits, the coalition went ahead with its plans, and thousands of people began to arrive in Chicago in the days leading up to the convention, including Allen Ginsberg, William S. Burroughs, and Norman Mailer. The protests were also supported by various labor unions, including the United Auto Workers (UAW) and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), which had been critical of the Vietnam War and the Democratic Party's stance on labor issues.

The Protests

The protests began on August 26, 1968, with a rally in Grant Park featuring speeches by Abbie Hoffman, Jerry Rubin, and Tom Hayden. The rally was peaceful, but as the day went on, tensions began to rise, and clashes between protesters and police became more frequent, with the police using tear gas and batons to disperse the crowds. The protests continued over the next few days, with marches and rallies taking place in various locations throughout Chicago, including Lincoln Park and Michigan Avenue. The protests were attended by thousands of people, including Jane Fonda, Tom Smothers, and Dick Gregory, and were marked by a sense of chaos and disorder, with protesters and police clashing in the streets. The protests were also influenced by the Black Power movement, led by figures such as Stokely Carmichael and Malcolm X.

Police Response and Violence

The police response to the protests was marked by violence and brutality, with officers using tear gas, batons, and other forms of crowd control to disperse the crowds. The police also made hundreds of arrests, including many of the leaders of the protests, such as Abbie Hoffman and Jerry Rubin. The violence was not limited to the police, however, as some protesters also engaged in violent behavior, including throwing rocks and bottles at police officers. The most infamous incident of violence occurred on the night of August 28, 1968, when police attacked a group of protesters in Grant Park, beating them with batons and throwing them to the ground, in an incident that became known as the Battle of Michigan Avenue. The police response was widely criticized, and was seen as an example of the police brutality that was common during the 1960s.

Aftermath and Legacy

The aftermath of the protests was marked by a sense of shock and outrage, as the full extent of the violence and brutality became clear. The protests had a significant impact on the 1968 presidential election, with many Democratic Party voters turning against the party's establishment and supporting anti-war candidates such as Eugene McCarthy and George McGovern. The protests also marked a turning point in the anti-war movement, as many activists began to shift their focus from protesting the Vietnam War to building a broader movement for social change, which included the Women's liberation movement, led by figures such as Gloria Steinem and Betty Friedan. The legacy of the protests can be seen in the many social and political movements that have followed, including the Occupy Wall Street movement and the Black Lives Matter movement, which have been influenced by the Civil Rights Movement and the anti-war movement.

Key Figures and Groups Involved

The key figures and groups involved in the protests included Abbie Hoffman, Jerry Rubin, and Tom Hayden, who were leaders of the National Mobilization Committee to End the War in Vietnam (MOBE) and the Students for a Democratic Society (SDS). Other notable figures included Allen Ginsberg, William S. Burroughs, and Norman Mailer, who were part of the Beat Generation and the Counterculture of the 1960s. The protests were also supported by various labor unions, including the United Auto Workers (UAW) and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), which had been critical of the Vietnam War and the Democratic Party's stance on labor issues. The protests were also influenced by the Black Power movement, led by figures such as Stokely Carmichael and Malcolm X, and the Women's liberation movement, led by figures such as Gloria Steinem and Betty Friedan. Other notable groups involved in the protests included the Youth International Party (YIP), the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), and the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE), which were all part of the broader Civil Rights Movement and the anti-war movement.

Category:1968