The year 1968 was one of the most influential in recent history and truly changed our country forever. Now members of the community can immerse themselves in this watershed year with The 1968 Exhibit at The Durham Museum.
This exhibit brings to life a year with a detailed look at the events and trends of 1968 in interactive displays, photos, videos, artifacts and timelines.
Even though 1968 is considered one of the most tragic in history, it was a turning point in the United States and led to a lot of good in the future of our country. It was a time of violence with the height of the Vietnam War abroad and the Civil Rights Movement at home. Political and social movements led to active protests and tremendous change in the U.S.
The 1968 Exhibit is organized by month and highlighted many important events. These sections of the exhibit focused on an event or trend that was particularly tragic or had impacted the lives of Americans.
In the first room of the exhibit was a 1960s-style living room featuring a black-and-white television. This part of the exhibit was intended to set the tone for the year and symbolize the personal impact the Vietnam War was having on families. It was the first “living room war” and was given that name because Americans could see graphic images of the war in their own homes because of television.
Other displays featured letters, gear, photos and other memorabilia from the Vietnam War. A UH-1H helicopter, also called the Huey, was also restored by volunteers, including many Vietnam War veterans, and assembled for the exhibit.
Jan. and Feb. 1968 marked two of the deadliest months of the Vietnam War, causing growing opposition at home. A divide started to form in the country politically and was particularly important during this presidential election year. Lyndon B. Johnson announced he would not seek a second term as president, leaving the field wide open.
The war specifically split the Democratic Party and caused huge riots in the streets of Chicago during the Democratic National Convention in Aug. 1968. This hostile debate led to political realignment in the country, and conservatism reached a new height because the middle-class feared a threat to American values.
A generation gap was beginning to form during this time, partly because young people were a prominent part of the anti-war movement and led energetic protests across the country. Other movements included the Poor People’s Campaign, which fought for economic justice, and the feminist movement, which emerged with the growth of advertising and the sexual revolution.
Two very tragic deaths occurred during the year and are highlighted in the exhibit. The first was the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr., on April 4, 1968. A moving video plays in the exhibit, featuring King’s famous “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop” speech he gave the day before his death.
The second death was Robert Kennedy who was shot and mortally wounded as he was campaigning for president on June 5, 1968. Both of these leaders’ deaths shocked the country and left a huge mark on an already difficult year.
Not only did the exhibit show the historical events, but also the cultural trends of the time. Music was evolving, most notably the genre of rock with the popularity of bands like The Beatles, Janis Joplin and Simon and Garfunkel. With the growth of television came new shows like “Laugh-In” and “60 Minutes.” Movies like “Bonnie and Clyde” and “Rosemary’s Baby” came out that year and pushed boundaries in the industry.
The 1968 Exhibit gives museum visitors a detailed look into the year and also provides an impactful experience not to be forgotten. It reminds us of both the good and the bad in 1968, but also shows how much the year shaped the country we are lucky to live in today.
The 1968 Exhibit has traveled around the country and is organized by the Minnesota History Center in partnership with the Atlanta History Center, the Chicago History Museum and the Oakland Museum of California. The exhibit continues its run at the Durham Museum through May 4.
The 1968 Exhibit at the Durham Museum shows its audiences the heartbreaks and triumphant moments of 1968 in America. The exhibit runs through May 4.