Civil rights and communism--The Students for a Democratic Society was an activist group demanding more of a voice and liberal reform in the government.
The Civil Rights Movement encouraged the group to issue statements on the rights of the citizen and demands for the government to recognize the individual rights of black persons in America. Communism encouraged the group to fight against foreign policy based on stopping the spread of Communism. The group was known to hold many anti-war protests in particular against the Vietnam conflict.