The Movements of the New Left, 1950-1975: A Brief History with Documents

These were the years when American society upturned itself. From the civil rights of Negroes to those of women and of homosexuals. The book has many short excerpts of historically significant speeches and essays. One is by Martin Luther King Jr, "Letter From Birmingham Jail", describing Freedom Riders and other activists attempting to end segregation in Alabama. Another essay is several pages from the Civil Rights Act of 1964. A pivotal piece of legislation. Betty Friedan is also represented here, with several pages from her "Feminine Mystique". Here is a cogent argument that women could and indeed should pursue their own careers, outside of the home. These and other essays serve as benchmarks of when radical but largely peaceful events profoundly altered the social fabric.