How Woodstock Became a Symbol of U.S. Counterculture

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‘The Vietnam war was in full swing by the time Woodstock organizers were planning what would soon become an iconic landmark of the 60s. 

The anti-war movement was growing in the U.S due in large part to the fact that, for the first time, Americans had a front-row view of the gory reality of war. Dubbed “The Television War,” the public witnessed conflicts in Vietnam first-hand, terrifying the nation.

Woodstock became an event where all antiwar, pro-drug Americans could gather to release the tensions of their country through music. Antiwar movements were supported by many 60s artists who used music as a means of protest against the conflicts in Vietnam. 

Another focus of the era was the civil rights movement. Although the Civil Rights Act of 1964 outlawed discrimination in the U.S, hate crimes against African Americans were still common and the Black Power movement was in full swing.

Late 1960s hits like James Brown’s “Say It Loud - I’m Black and Proud” and Nina Simone’s “Young Gifted and Black” became anthems for African Americans who had been underrepresented and disrespected in the United States.

The assassination of Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. at this time heightened racial tensions, resulting in riots and social unrest.

“With everything that was going on in the late 1960s…we rallied and relied on strength in numbers. We came together communally to be heard and to be acknowledged,” stated musician Richie Havens, who performed at the festival.

Music as protest - By taking the stage at Woodstock, African American artists like Richie Havens and Jimi Hendrix symbolized and an era of change for people of color. Towards the end of his setlist at Woodstock, Hendrix performed a psychedelic rendition of the Star-Spangled Banner that featured the sound of bombs dropping. With a performance that left people around the country shocked, Hendrix’s version of the national anthem captured the political spirit of Woodstock, making it a fitting end to the three-day festival. 

Those in support of the festival pointed to the peaceful and helpful behavior of the “hippies” that were so frowned upon by mainstream media. Those against the festival, however, condemned the drugs, nudity and chaotic traffic that resulted from the three-day event.

The drug culture of the 60s was an undeniable aspect of Woodstock as many musicians and audiences were under the influence of marijuana and LSD. Drug experimentation led to the rise of psychedelic music made popular by bands like the Grateful Dead and Jefferson Airplane. In particular, Jefferson Airplane’s performance of “White Rabbit” at Woodstock became a decade-defining song, illustrating the drug experimentation of 1960s America that led many young people to “feed [their] heads,” as the song puts it.

Woodstock is remembered as an iconic event in both musical and American history. For years to come, event planners and music enthusiasts attempted to recreate and capture the spirit of Woodstock, but none came close to reaching the lasting impact left behind by the three days of “peace, love, and music” in Bethel, New York.’ (Source)

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