The Woodstock Music Festival of 1969
Towards the end of the 1960s, dissent towards the Vietnam spread quickly throughout the American public. Many influential musicians, such as Bob Dylan and John Lennon, began writing music in support of peace. In 1969, thousands of music lovers gathered together at the Woodstock Music Festival in support of peace in Vietnam.
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Often called “Three Days of Peace and Music”, the Woodstock Music Festival was organized by four young men: John Roberts, Joel Rosenman, Artie Kornfeld, and Mike Lang. These four men organized the concert in order to pay for “a recording studio and retreat for rock musicians” and encourage anti-war sentiment. (Rosenberg, 1)
They began to prepare for the festival, but encountered many difficulties. Originally, the concert was determined to be held in a park in Wallkill, New York. However, the concert received so many objections from the citizens of Wallkill that the town passed a law banning the festival entirely, due to its association with drugs and hippies. Fortunately for the organizers, they found a new location in a dairy farm right outside of White Lake, New York. However, before the festival’s opening on August 15th, many more problems appeared. 50,000 people were estimated to attend, but as the date got closer they realized they were facing about 200,000 people at the lowest. The organizers of the festival were forced to bring in more food and seating. Two days before the music began, 50,000 people were camped out around the dairy farm. Over a million people in total made the trip, but half were turned away by the police on the highway.
They began to prepare for the festival, but encountered many difficulties. Originally, the concert was determined to be held in a park in Wallkill, New York. However, the concert received so many objections from the citizens of Wallkill that the town passed a law banning the festival entirely, due to its association with drugs and hippies. Fortunately for the organizers, they found a new location in a dairy farm right outside of White Lake, New York. However, before the festival’s opening on August 15th, many more problems appeared. 50,000 people were estimated to attend, but as the date got closer they realized they were facing about 200,000 people at the lowest. The organizers of the festival were forced to bring in more food and seating. Two days before the music began, 50,000 people were camped out around the dairy farm. Over a million people in total made the trip, but half were turned away by the police on the highway.
Many prominent musicians, such as Janis Joplin, the Grateful Dead, and Jimi Hendrix, entertained the 50,000 people who actually attended the Woodstock Festival. Characterized with “lots of sex, drugs, and rock’n roll”, the concert meant to promote peace ended up as a chaotic, mud-filled (due to the downpour of rain) debacle (Rosenberg, 1). After the festival, the organizers of Woodstock were faced with $1 million in debt and 70 lawsuits.
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Regardless of the chaos of Woodstock, the festival heightened the influence of music towards the Vietnam War. Many in attendance described it as “life changing”, and provided a connection for all young people with similar stances on the war. It encouraged the “hippie” counterculture of the 70s, and spread anti-war sentiment across the country. “Woodstock is known as one of the greatest happenings of all time and - perhaps - the most pivotal movement in music history” (“Woodstock Festivals”, 1).
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Bibliography
Brinkley, Alan. The Unfinished Nation: A Concise History of the American People. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2010. Print.
Hopkins, Alexander. "Protest and Rock N' Roll During the Vietnam War." Student Pulse. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Mar. 2014.
Rosenberg, Jennifer. "The Woodstock Festival of 1969." About 20th Century History. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Mar. 2014.
"Woodstock Festival History." Bethel Woods Center. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Mar. 2014.
"The Woodstock Festivals." Woodstock. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Mar. 2014.
Hopkins, Alexander. "Protest and Rock N' Roll During the Vietnam War." Student Pulse. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Mar. 2014.
Rosenberg, Jennifer. "The Woodstock Festival of 1969." About 20th Century History. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Mar. 2014.
"Woodstock Festival History." Bethel Woods Center. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Mar. 2014.
"The Woodstock Festivals." Woodstock. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Mar. 2014.