The American Counterculture: A History of Hippies and Cultural Dissidents

Abstract

Cultural memory of the hippie movement of the mid-twentieth century has been, in many ways, reduced to a series of snapshots. A young woman places a flower in the barrel of the gun a police officer is pointing at her. Young people in loose-flowing tie-dyed clothes smoke pot and dance to psychedelic music. Young men and women flash the “peace” sign. In The American Counterculture, Damon R. Bach argues that, like the general public, historians have approached the topic in a simplistic way, developing a narrative that suggests that the counterculture only existed for a short period of time and that its goals did not change. Instead, the author contends that the counterculture went through numerous changes and was porous in terms of who was considered part of the movement at any given time. Furthermore, he argues that “The most significant of these transformations was its transition from the cultural to the political” (xi). Claiming that no historiography of the counterculture movement, its major players, and events exists, he sets out to create one using primary source documents like underground newspapers and interviews.Bach argues that the alienation of middle-class white youth in the 1950s was a major cause of the counterculture, and that hippies worked to build alternate communities in order to change society as a whole. Dope (marijuana and LSD as opposed to addictive drugs), rock music, and open sexuality were part of the hippie lifestyle, and how much each of these elements factored into the counterculture changed over time. The book discusses well-known events, like Woodstock and the Chicago National Convention, as well as many lesser known and local events, building a strong case to support Bach's arguments.A major challenge that the author faces is that the 1960s and 1970s have passed into history for younger people while older people still have memories of the time. As a result, what people know about the period varies greatly. Thus, some descriptions of events and people feel overwritten while some readers will be confused by the casual mention of new groups, places, and events. For instance, much of the narrative about the 1950s is familiar. On the other hand, readers may be unfamiliar with the White Panthers Party, which is mentioned in passing early in the book (24) but not described until much later (148–49). Fortunately, the book has an excellent index and an extensive bibliography to help a reader over any hurdles.In addition to being well-researched and introducing a good variety of source material, the book is well-organized. In general, it is in chronological order, with each chapter addressing a period of years. Each chapter starts by summarizing the major changes that occurred in the counterculture during the time period under discussion followed by subheaders that address events and topics from that period. For instance, Chapter 4, “Freaks and Hairies Everywhere: The Rise of the Countersociety and its Apogee, 1970–1972,” begins by arguing that various counterculture groups worked together during this period, that the counterculture became more diverse, and that it began to advocate for women's and gay rights. Subtopics include “Counterculture Environmentalism and Earth Day,” “New Left-Counterculture Fusion and the Rise of the Countersociety,” and “Rock Festivals and Rock Revolutionaries.” This organization makes the book an excellent reference for anyone researching the period as it relates to the counterculture.The book is least effective when addressing how the hippie movement interacted with other movements of the time. The lack of detail about these other movements leads to some broad and inaccurate characterizations. For instance, the description of Stonewall glosses over the contribution of trans women, avoiding a discussion of how the counterculture responded to these individuals, and the women's movements are simplified to the point that the only women's movement appears to be that of straight, White women. Nevertheless, this book could be a challenge to students of the other movements to provide a similar historiography.The book points out that the hippie counterculture was successful in changing American culture, including greater environmental awareness, a change in sexual attitudes, and the move toward eating healthier food. Furthermore, it raises a number of intriguing questions that researchers might be interested in pursuing, such as, how did White privilege distinguish and affect the movement? Is degeneration into violence inherent in prolonged activism and alternate communities or is it avoidable? Can alternative communities survive long-term? The answers to such questions could be just as important for understanding subcultures today.