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The Struggle(s) for Equality: Civil Rights, Women’s Rights and Political Change

Thu, August 29, 2:00 to 3:30pm, Hilton, Holmead

Abstract

American society and politics were transformed in the second half of the 20th century by the Civil Rights and Women’s Rights movements. We examine the impact of these epochal changes on public opinion, focusing particularly on the pivotal cohort of Americans who graduated from high school in 1965. For the most part, the Class of ’65 accommodated itself to the changing role of women: the proportion preferring traditional gender roles declined from 22% in 1973 to just 6% in 1997. In stark contrast, responses to the altered status of African Americans remained sharply divided, with substantial proportions expressing concern about blacks having “too much influence,” opposing government aid to minorities, and even resisting federal involvement in school integration. We draw on survey data spanning three decades and semi-structured conversations with members of the Class of ’65 (now in their early 70s) to explore these contrasting responses and their political implications.

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