Historical Byts

Boomer’s Byts of History: Hippies, Race Riots, Vietnam from a Collegiate Point of View

By cybrscrybe | Published January 19, 2026 | 1 Comment

The Hippies, Race Riots, and Vietnam from a collegiate point of view

One of the issues that both Kennedy’s and Martin Luther King brought to my teenage conscience, was the challenges of race relations. I grew up in an all-white neighborhood and went to an all-white Catholic girls school. When I attended an all-girls Catholic High school, I met several young ladies of color who were accepted as part of our community (or so my perception of them was) without a qualm. In the background, I heard discussions of “safe neighborhoods” and neighborhoods whose home values were lessened by people of color moving into them and not taking care of the properties. None of these issues were paramount to me as I focused on my high school career. I read about sit-ins at Woolworth’s lunch counter. I read about Rosa Parks sitting on the bus in protest. (And would later as a teacher teach about it). I read about the girls who were integrated into an all-white school. (And years later, as a teacher, had on online conversation between my 4th grade students and Melba Beal, one of those girls ). Even though I rode 3 public buses to high school one-way, and there were black folks on those buses, I did not feel threatened (as some white people felt) as I was surrounded most of the time by my friends from school.

I was vaguely aware of the bigger civil rights issues due to the focus in the political realm of JFK, Martin Luther King, and Robert Kennedy. To my teenage brain, I was aware there was an issue, but since it did not touch me, I stayed open minded but not involved with the issue. However, after the death of Martin Luther King, and during the ensuing riots, I was aware that my school was closed because it was in the middle of the city.  And when we did go back to school, my dad made sure he was driving me rather than taking the bus until things settled down.

Since Martin Luther King died during my senior year in high school, my protected view of races stretched significantly during my college years. The race issue mushroomed after MLK’s death. Many “sit-in”s took place on campus for both the race issues and Vietnam issues. I’d walk through the large crowds with speakers on my way from one class to the next.  I’d listen for as long as I could without getting too intensely involved but made sure I  wouldn’t miss my classes.

My sophomore year of classes in college, I was hired at a bank in downtown Baltimore on a part-time basis after classes.  I would take the bus downtown and work until early evening in the loan department.  It was valuable experience for me, and gave some income while going to school. As part of the loan approval process for the bank, I took the applications from those requesting loans and was instructed to put a code at the top of the application if someone was unsuitable for the loan.  That could be because they seemed unstable is some way or if they were a person of color. I was vaguely aware of the racism involved, particularly with my new college experiences, and once or twice voiced my concerns over it, but the policies were made elsewhere, so my voice was not really heard.

When the protests from campus became public and spread throughout the city, I was working at the bank downtown.  All my co-workers were leery about the protests and tried to stay unseen in the back of the bank.  However, I stood by the door and watched them march by on the main streets. I think I was hoping to see students I knew, and wanted to show a bit of support for their protests.

As a married woman, I saw and heard a bit of the “reverse racism” that others today say didn’t exist.  As the Civil Rights movement progressed some of the inequities in housing, education, and hiring were worked through.  Many court cases were processed to ease the housing issue.  Colleges and universities would admit many more racial students so they “met their quota” as per the new laws. Employers also hired more racial employees so they wouldn’t be in violation of the new laws. By this point I no longer worked at the bank, but I couldn’t help drawing comparisons to how we used to mark applications against people of color, to what was happening in reverse to white men because “quotas” had to be met. One of those who felt that way was my own husband, who felt he lost out on getting admittance to college because of the “new laws”. My own thoughts were that I hoped the colleges were basing their decisions on true merit rather than racial numbers. However, colleges admissions offices would never say why you were accepted or not, so there was never any proof of the “reverse racism”.  However, it somewhat explains why there is still such a divide between Americans.

My awareness of the Vietnam crisis and the hippie movements in the cultural realm, also grew over my college career. I was aware that Haight-Asbury was a place that hippies and “flower children” gathered in California. I was not aware of the drugs being taken there, or even of the free sexual revolution. I heard about bra-burnings (probably because I hated wearing one). I followed the Patty Hearst story with concern but did not really understand the whys behind the story.

However, my awareness of all the above issues grew seven-fold while in college. All of the guys my age were receiving their draft notices in the mail, and my brother had to register for the draft. I realized years later that even then my understanding of the draft process was limited. Many of the guys around me were receiving lower draft pick numbers due to being in college. Yet, later in life, when attending reunions, I finally realized how many of the guys I grew up with WERE drafted and spent time in Vietnam. Most of them were not college students, so did not have that as a protection from being drafted. Luckily, both my brothers were younger so when they signed up the Vietnam conflict had ended.

Even now, as a seventy plus year old single woman, the loss of guys during the Vietnam era has been felt. Several of the gentlemen I have dated since my divorce have been Vietnam Vets. In addition, while trying to use online dating sites, I became aware of the lack of gentlemen my age available. Lots of men much older than me, and lots my younger brothers’ ages, but few in my age group were available.  Those who were Vietnam Veterans, although mostly nice guys, they usually had complications from PTSD from the war, or medical complications from the agent orange which made relationships challenging for them. Some were still struggling with the issues from PTSD.

So, while we were the generation born during the “golden age” after two World Wars, this generation has faced their own version of challenges. We were able to live full lives, raise families, build careers with many positives, but also many challenges. And now in our senior years, we watch younger generations still fighting many similar battles. Many of us are cheering on those younger generations as they fight to keep our country free.  We may fight from our aged armchairs, but our spirits are with fighters as they try to finally get the race issues healed, and keep our country out of other wars like Vietnam.

Other Baby Boomers are encouraged to add their experiences and remembrances to these thoughts.  Where were YOU when…??

Email your answers to cybrscrybe@verizon.net or comment on my Learningbyts Blog @http://learningbyts.net/WordPressBlog/byts-of-history/

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