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1960s ‑ Stories

The 1960s was one of the most tumultuous and divisive decades in world history. The era was marked by the civil rights movement, the Vietnam War and antiwar protests, countercultural movements, political assassinations and the emerging "generation gap."

Police and demonstrators clash near the Conrad Hilton Hotel during the 1968 Democratic National Convention. (Credit: Bettmann Archive/Getty Images)

Was 1968 America’s Bloodiest Year in Politics?

War. Assassinations. Riots. Violent protest clashes. America was certainly no stranger to political violence, but 1968 appeared to bring the bloodletting to new heights.

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Why Martin Luther King’s Family Believes James Earl Ray Was Not His Killer

After the assassination, King’s family did not trust the findings of the FBI, which had harassed the civil rights leader while he was alive.

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11 Things You Didn’t Know About ‘2001: A Space Odyssey’

Alien insurance. A leopard‑proof cage. And a heroin‑addicted ape‑man. These are just a few of the odd details behind the making of one of history’s most revered movies.

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Onlookers watch as a Chicago storefront building burns during riots in the wake of Martin Luther King Jr's assassination, 1968. (Credit: Lee Balterman/The Life Picture Collection/Getty Images)

Why People Rioted After Martin Luther King Jr.’s Assassination

Riots broke out in over 100 American cities after King’s murder.

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Two members of the Black Panther Party are met on the steps of the State Capitol in Sacramento, May 2, 1967, by Police Lt. Ernest Holloway, who informs them they will be allowed to keep their weapons as long as they cause no trouble and do not disturb the peace.

The NRA Supported Gun Control When the Black Panthers Had the Weapons

Back in the 1960s, even the NRA supported gun control to disarm the group.

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1960s Unrest Was The Impetus For The First Gun Age Limits

You have to be 21 to buy a handgun at a store, but only 18 to get one at a gun show.

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The Little Rock Nine forming a study group after being prevented from entering Little Rock's Central High School. (Credit: Bettmann Archive/Getty Images)

This Isn’t the First Time Conspiracy Theorists Have Accused Student Activists of Being ‘Paid Actors’

Students were targeted during the Civil Rights movement, too.

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Peace demonstrators taunt Illinois National Guardsmen outside the Democratic National Convention headquarters hotel, on August 29, 1968. (Credit: AP Photo)

The Revolution That Was 1968

As simmering political and cultural resentments exploded in 1968, nearly every week produced news of another earth‑shattering event.

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The 1960 Winter Olympics: Where Underdogs Ruled

From the unlikely host city to the first ‘Miracle on Ice,’ these games were filled with incredible upsets and improbable firsts.

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Peter Norman, Tommie Smith, and John Carlos, as they play the national anthem of the United States at the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City. (Credit: Rich Clarkson/Rich Clarkson & Associates/Getty Images)

How the Black Power Protest at the 1968 Olympics Killed Careers

When Tommie Smith and John Carlos raised their fists in protest at the 1968 Summer Games, Australian runner Peter Norman stood by them. It lost him his career.

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Chadwick Boseman as the Black Panther.

The Real History Behind the Black Panther

Marvel’s groundbreaking superhero emerged in the 1960s—during the height of the civil rights movement.

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Robert F. Kennedy. (Credit: Bill Eppridge/The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images)

How Bobby Kennedy Started the War on Gangs

Long before MS‑13, Bobby Kennedy battled J. Edgar Hoover to take on the Mafia.

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