This week marked the 50th Anniversary of the 1968 Democratic National Convention and the riots in the streets of Chicago between protesters and Chicago police. This was a turning point of the 1960s, and many of us who live in Chicagoland now may know people on both sides of this highly charged event. Here are some sources that may help us better understand this historic event.
Retrospective from the New York Times (2018): ‘The Whole World Is Watching’: The 1968 Democratic Convention, 50 Years Later
On Aug. 28, 1968, violent clashes in Chicago between demonstrators and the police produced one of the most polarizing showdowns of the 1960s. People are still debating what it all meant.
Tribune Articles from August 29, 1968: Cops, Hippies War in Street: Scores Hurt in Battle on Michigan av. Police, Hippies Wage Pitched Battle in Michigan
Michigan avenue was turned into a bloody battleground last night as police swung their sticks on anti-war demonstrators and anti-Democratic convention pickets in streets outside the Conrad Hilton hotel, the convention headquarters.
Summary Video from the Newseum (2015): Reporting Vietnam: 1968 DNC Police Riot
Outside the DNC in Chicago on the evening of August 28, 1968, tensions between protesters and police reached a violent climax, as police attacked with tear gas, mace, and billy clubs. Journalists and protesters alike were arrested in the chaos that ensued.