Abstract
From the immense political upheaval of the Civil Rights Movement and anti-war protests to the advent of the hippie counterculture and its psychedelic aesthetic, the 1960s is commonly conceptualized as a significantly transformative period in American history, socially, culturally, and politically. While this is certainly an accurate observation, the political and cultural shifts that occurred within this period are typically approached as separate, if not disparate, segments within the development of the period. The counterculture is often approached solely within the confines of its art, aesthetics, bohemian lifestyle, and perhaps most ubiquitously, the use of psychedelic drugs. As a result, the political aspect of the counterculture, while acknowledged, is rarely acknowledged to its full extent. However, when more closely examining the growth of protest throughout this period—particularly in the unprecedented growth of white, middle-class allyship—the spheres of counterculture, activism, and eventually revolutionary radicalism, become one. When approaching these segments as one—with particular consideration extended to drug use of the counterculture and the gradual escalation in methods of resistance and protest—a number of incisive, unanswered questions arise. What led this population of white, middle-class youth to activism and later, political violence? To what extent did their frequent use of mind-expanding drugs shift their political feelings, ideologies, and actions? Given the degree of youth mobilization within this period, why is our common conceptualization of the hippie as purely hedonic and latently politically active? What do we stand to learn from this first mass foray of white youth into activism and allyship?
Recommended Citation
Melbert, Daniel J.. "Tumult, Terror, and Tripping: The Roles of Psychedelics and Radical Politics in the Counterculture." The Purdue Historian 12, 1 (2025). https://docs.lib.purdue.edu/puhistorian/vol12/iss1/1