The Shattering

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On July 4, 1961, middle-class families in a Chicago neighborhood showcased a confident vision of the American Dream, which was soon shattered by the tumult of the following decade. The civil rights and anti-war movements challenged the inequities at home and the arrogance abroad, while assassinations and social violence tore at the nation’s fabric. Covering the late 1950s to the early 1970s, the narrative highlights fierce conflicts over race, sex, and war. The civil rights movement evolves from grassroots activism in Montgomery and sit-ins to the violence in Birmingham and the Edmund Pettus Bridge, culminating in the frustrations of King’s Chicago campaign and the rise of Black nationalism amid Nixon-era politics. The Vietnam War emerges as a Cold War policy, influenced by powerful popular movements and the harrowing experiences of those involved. Challenges to government regulation of sexuality lead to landmark decisions on privacy, gay rights, contraception, and abortion. The author captures this passionate era with empathy, restoring the humanity of individuals like Elizabeth Eckford and Estelle Griswold, while also revealing the complexities of political figures like Richard Nixon and George Wallace. This history resonates with contemporary issues, illuminating currents that still influence our politics today.