The events of 1968 had a profound impact on American politics and the civil rights movement. One significant way that the events of 1968 affected politics was by shaping the presidential election that year.
The assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in April 1968 had a deep impact on the political landscape of the United States. King's death sparked widespread riots and unrest across the country, particularly in urban areas with large African American populations. These events created a sense of urgency and fear among many Americans, and many politicians began to shift their focus to issues of civil rights and social justice.
In the Democratic Party, the assassination of King intensified divisions between the liberal and conservative wings of the party. Liberal politicians, such as Senator Robert F. Kennedy, began to embrace more progressive policies on issues like civil rights and poverty, hoping to appeal to African American voters and other marginalized groups.
However, Kennedy's own assassination in June 1968 further destabilized the political landscape, and the Democratic National Convention in August was marked by protests and violence both inside and outside the convention hall. The election of 1968 ultimately saw the Republican candidate, Richard Nixon, win the presidency, running on a law and order platform that appealed to many Americans' fears of social unrest.
In terms of the civil rights movement, the events of 1968 marked a turning point. King's death was a major blow to the movement, as he had been one of its most prominent and respected leaders. However, his death also galvanized many activists and communities to continue fighting for civil rights and social justice.
The riots and protests that followed King's death helped to highlight the deep racial and economic inequalities that persisted in American society, and many activists began to demand more radical solutions to these problems. This shift towards a more militant and confrontational approach to civil rights activism paved the way for movements like the Black Power movement and the rise of more radical leaders like Angela Davis and Huey Newton.
Overall, the events of 1968 had a profound impact on American politics and the civil rights movement, shaping the political landscape and changing the way that activists approached their fight for social justice.