Time Capsule
Latanya Gonzalez
Kaplan University
SS310-14

Time Capsule
The year is 2325 and being the prominent archeologist I have become, I have been summoned to a dig site where a time capsule from the 1960’s has been discovered. After carefully unearthing this delicate finding, my colleagues and I discover five significant things from the 1960’s. First brought out is an antiwar sign, obviously hand made. Second from the capsule is a portrait of our 35th President, President John F. Kennedy. Third is the Woman’s Movement of the 1960’s. Fourth is a portrait of Martin Luther King, Jr. The final, fifth item to be brought from the time capsule, is the Civil Rights Movement. Each item is a significant and defining factor of the 1960’s era; a part of history that remains embedded in the American people’s minds and hearts. The antiwar handheld sign was the first to come out of the time capsule. This sign is still legible. The sign is a wood stick with a thin flat 4X4 piece of wood stapled to it. The flat wood sign has “Stop the War” spray-painted in red on one side. On the other side of the flat wood board is a peace sign spray-painted in yellow. The wood stick had a thin scarf tied to it still. This piece of history has significant meaning to the antiwar era of the 1960’s. This sign most likely was held and waved through the air at many of the antiwar protest often held by the so-called hippies of the 60’s. Many individuals who were against the war in Vietnam during the 1960’s. Individuals voiced their opinions in protests that consisted of sit-ins, marches and radical speeches. People against the war at the time were very passionate about bringing the American soldiers home from Vietnam and went through great lengths to make their voices heard. Along with the protests, were many songs written about society being against the war and yearning for peace in the world. These songs were often heard and sang during many war protests and demonstrations. For individuals today who know of the Vietnam war and were against it in any way will know how significant this hand held sign was. With the handheld protest sign showing signs of wear and tear, it is obvious this anti-war sign has been present during a lot of emotional and important protests. The second item, which is a very large portrait of the United States 35th President, John F. Kennedy, brings the crowd to a hush when brought out. The portrait is of Kennedy standing at a podium delivering one of his many speeches to the American people. This portrait has an unspoken meaning to everyone laying eyes on it. John F. Kennedy was America’s most loved President in many people’s eyes. His efforts and promises to bring change to the United States made him a much respected President of the 1960’s. His presidency at the time of the Cold War has been documented in America’s history book and history classes. President Kennedy also started the project to send the first man to the moon. Although his death did not let him see it happen, he was an important part. President Kennedy was assassinated in 1963. His very public assassination brought our country to its knees, so to speak. The emotional hours, days, and weeks after Kennedy’s death is forever embedded in our Nation’s history. Much speculation surrounded his assassination and it still does today. Many conspiracy theories developed due to the many opinions of who, why and how President Kennedy was killed. Today, our 35th President of the United States continues to be celebrated and recognized. The Woman’s Movement of the 1960’s was the third item from the time capsule. The Women’s Movement in the 1960’s is often referred to as “The decade of change for women”. This movement brought forth changes for women in the workforce and in domestic capacities. Equal pay in the workforce and awareness and intolerance of sexual harassment were a few important changes brought on by the Women’s Movement of the 1960’s. Many issues were brought attention to in this movement that were monumental and brought changes to laws. These changes brought on more unity and empowerment for women of the times. This unity and empowerment continues today, stronger and more organized than ever before. The young women of today are in a better situation with today’s society due to the Woman’s Movement of the 1960’s. The fourth item in the time capsule is a portrait of the late Martin Luther King Jr. Martin Luther King Jr. was the most significant symbol of the Civil Rights Movement. He set forth the tone, focus and mission of the Movement. He led the black community in a peaceful mission to gain equal rights in America. His speeches and organized marches gained recognition and support from both the white and black community. His assassination in 1968 was a terrible shock to all of America. His was another assassination that made America weep, so to speak. His death was a terrible loss to Civil Rights Movement and to the black community as a whole. The movement he helped form and lead became a huge part of our American history. The Civil Right Movement paved the way for others make a stand and call for change. The Women’s Rights Movement was one of the significant events of history that manifested from the Civil Rights Movement. Martin Luther King Jr’s legacy and accomplishments are taught in our schools today and he continues to be a very important part of history. The fifth and final item from the time capsule is the Civil Rights Movement itself. This movement is a major factor in the 1960’s era and in the United States history. It also brought many changes and rights to the black community who lived through generations of discrimination and unequal rights. During the Civil Rights Movements, Civil Rights Acts were put into place giving black people equality and a vision of a better future in America. This movement was not only beneficial to the black community but also paved the way for other races and genders to being attention to the issues regarding their race and genders. Along with the very influential leader Martin Luther King, Jr, many other leaders made a difference also in the Civil Rights Movement. Malcolm X and Whitney Young gained popularity and followers for the views they shared regarding equality issues. The Black Panther movement became an organization which followed the Civil Rights Movement. Their clothing and style are a notable trend throughout the movement in the 1960’s. All these factors, groups, issues, events and important leaders made up the Civil Rights movement. Without each of these things and people, the movement would not have been what it was and as significant as it was. A major lesson that we have learned from the 1960’s is to accept and call for change when it is needed. Many changes took place in the 1960’s that have pave the way for many other issues to be address and changed today. Changes for the good and the better of the people are necessary to make this country work. The changes that took place in the 60’s forced unwilling individuals to accept the change and change their views when it came to the equality of all human beings. Not only is change necessary for this country to work, it is necessary to keep the American Dream alive. The events of the 1960’s, the anti-war protests, the presidency of John. F. Kennedy, the Woman’s movement, the presence of Martin Luther King Jr. in the Civil Rights Movement, and the Civil Rights Movement itself have all brought on change in the United States for the better of the American people. It has enabled us to remain the most powerful Nation in the World. Better cannot happen without change. Even though there will be individuals who will stand in the way of change, there will always be more individuals in support of it when it comes to benefitting the people of this country. The 1960’s taught us to not be afraid of change. This era taught us that there are many different types of people, with many different ways of life but we are, in the end, all equal and deserve to be treated that way. The United States is the land of the free and the home of the brave, our people here need to feel that way. So when change is needed and change is call upon, we can reflect on the 1960’s and know it is possible.

References
About Dr. King. (n.d.). The Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change. Retrieved May 6, 2014, from http://www.thekingcenter.org/about-dr-king
Farber, D. R. (1994). The age of great dreams: America in the 1960s. New York: Hill and Wang.
Harrison, B. C., & Dye, T. R. (2008). Power & society: an introduction to the social sciences (Thirteenth ed.). Boston, MA, USA: Wadsworth Cencage Learning.
John F. Kennedy. (n.d.). History.com. Retrieved May 6, 2014, from http://www.history.com/topics/us-presidents/john-f-kennedy