History 476

Devine

Fall 2013

Second “DIG”

This is the second of three opportunities this semester to do a little digging into primary sources in search of evidence that corroborates, complicates, or even contradicts the readings for the course. This need not be an extensive research project – no more than a page or two is necessary. It is due in class on Tuesday April 24^th.

Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) was the main organization of a loosely affiliated movement of student radicals during the 1960s. Many of the documents produced by both local SDS groups and the national office are available at http://www.sds-1960s.org/documents.htm.

For this dig, I’d like you to read one of the documents, summarize its content, and assess it drawing on the background material from our discussions about the student activism of the 1960s. How does the document shed light on SDS’s attitude toward mainstream society, political philosophy, rhetorical style, and approach to political activism? How does its content support or undermine what Steigerwald has to say in his chapter, “The Reddish Decade”?

Some of the documents are quite long. I suggest you browse through the links until you find one of reasonable length. In your dig, please give the title of the document and the author’s name (if it is given).