In 1968, the fury and violence of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago propelled us toward a tipping point in politics. Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert F. Kennedy were assassinated, America suffered its bloodiest year in Vietnam and drugs seduced us. Yet idealism--and hope--flourished. Explore the significance of that turbulent year and the way it continues to affect the American landscape. Tom Brokaw offers his perspective on the era and shares the rich personal odysseys of some of the people who lived through that chaotic time, along with the stories of younger people now experiencing its aftershocks. Includes archival footage and interviews with former Atlanta Mayor Andrew Young, who was talking to King when he was assassinated and rushed to his side to try to staunch the wound; Olympic gold medalist Rafer Johnson, who wrestled RFKs' assassin to the ground; and Arlo Guthrie, best known for his song "Alice's Restaurant.
I don't know where (or if, to you youngsters) you were living in 1968, but I lived in the Chicago suburbs. I was 9 years old for most of that year and I was as clueless as can be. Chicago had two major riots that year (after MLK was killed and the DNC), and it was a scary time to be a parent raising four kids, as my parents were. To me, all that stuff was just something on TV. I never connected it to real life happening near me. It took this documentary to do that. The first time I saw it, I felt a little shell-shocked. It brought back so many memories - - things I had forgotten.
I know most of you don't watch documentaries, but I highly recommend this one. If you think things are divisive now, you should look at what happened in 1968 for a large dose of perspective.
