SONGS IN THE KEY OF PROTEST: HOW MUSIC REFLECTS THE SOCIAL TURBULENCE IN AMERICA FROM THE LATE 1950S TO THE EARLY 1970S

by Laux, Katie

The Vietnam War polarized the American public. From the late 1950s to the early 1970s, the American public debated nuclear policy, foreign policy, and the war at home. As a result, two social movements emerged, one dedicated to end the war in Vietnam, and the other committed to anti-communism and halting the counterculture. As these two groups battled on American campuses, American musicians on both sides of the debate wrote and performed songs that tried and succeeded in persuading the American public. Their music provides another perspective of the chaos in America caused by the Vietnam War.