1968-Oakland Museum Style

1968 was one of the defining years in American history, the Oakland Museum, as they do, put on a great exhibit of that year with really cool artifacts. They looked at the social, political and economic events of that year. I was born in 1969 and missed all of the fun of that year.

1968 was a year of violence, from the assassinations of Dr.Martin Luther King and Sen. Robert Kennedy to the riots at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago.

1968 Chicago Police Riot Gear

1968 was also a year of protest against unjust conditions both locally (the Black Panthers) and internationally (Tommie Smith/John Carlos at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics):

1968 Black Panther Party Gear

A 1968 Olympic Torch

It was also a year that (sadly) The Vietnam War hit its peak. This exhibit does a great job exploring Vietnam without choosing a political side. The voices that lived through it and it lets you make your own choice about how you feel about the war.

A Huey from 1968

But even with all of the turmoil that went on that year it was a good year for Oakland's NFL team and it was a groovy year for style.

A Football used in Super Bowl II

A Hi-Fi with Turntable

Fashion of 1968

Got to Love the Beanbags

Even with the chaos of the year, 1968 was a year that we went a step closer to going to the moon as Apollo 8 became the first manned space craft to leave Earth's orbit, orbit the Moon and return safely to Earth.

Replica of the Apollo 8 Capsule