HELP! HISTORICAL INSIGHT WANTED

[Mark Arbour]

OK, I'm working on my story, 1968, and I need some insight from some one (or some people) that were around then.

 

Two questions:

 

1. When did the My Lai massacre become public knowledge?

 

2. When Bobby Kennedy was assassinated, were there riots or demonstrations (like when MLK was killed)?

 

Thanks for your help!

[rec]

Based on the Wikipedia Entry, My Lai did not become common knowledge until mid-1969.

 

I don 't recall any riots after Bobby Kennedy's assassination. There was certainly much national mourning, but the assassin was caught right away and there was no racial tension to the extent that the MLK assassination caused to explode.

 

rec

 

OK, I'm working on my story, 1968, and I need some insight from some one (or some people) that were around then.

 

Two questions:

 

1. When did the My Lai massacre become public knowledge?

 

2. When Bobby Kennedy was assassinated, were there riots or demonstrations (like when MLK was killed)?

 

Thanks for your help!

[Benji]

Based on the Wikipedia Entry, My Lai did not become common knowledge until mid-1969.

 

I don 't recall any riots after Bobby Kennedy's assassination. There was certainly much national mourning, but the assassin was caught right away and there was no racial tension to the extent that the MLK assassination caused to explode.

 

rec

 

LT. Calley? If I remember right was charged with that massacre. There weren't any riots upon RFK's assassination. I remember watching him at the podium that night waving as he gave his victory speech, I was stunned to hear moments later of his assassination. The nation was stunned I remember women wailing 'not again'. Your comment prompted me to retrieve a special edition of LIFE magazine titled "The Kennedys"

[Mark Arbour]

Thanks for the feedback! Very helpful.

[MikeL]

Good responses from Rec and Benji. I have a little to add.

 

The My Lai massacre became public knowledge in November 1969. See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/My_Lai_massac..._investigations, especially paragraph beginning with:

Independent investigative journalist Seymour Hersh, after extensive conversations with Calley, broke the My Lai story on 12 November 1969...

 

The RFK assassination on June 25, 1968 was televised nationally. Kennedy was making a victory speech (California presidential primary) which I watched. A few minutes after the speech ended, TV cameras where in the hotel kitchen showing the scene. I remember Kennedy asking if everyone else was OK. It seemed that he was not seriously hurt since he was alert and concerned about others. I was surprised to learn later that he had died. There were no riots perhaps because the assassination was not an interracial crime.

 

The assassination of Dr. King on April 4 was a different story. Dr. King was in Memphis - I lived there at the time - at the height of a work stoppage and protest marches by garbage collectors and their supporters. His death was a white on black crime and riots erupted throughout the country. Ironically, there were no riots in Memphis. I have always thought that Memphians were too shocked by the event to react violently.

 

I only recently visited the National Civil Rights Museum at the Lorraine Motel. I recommend it to everyone who visits or lives in Memphis.

 

I hope this is helpful. Good luck with your story. It wasn't a very good year.

Edited October 1, 2008 by MikeL

[Mark Arbour]

I hope this is helpful. Good luck with your story. It wasn't a very good year.

 

Thanks Mike, it was. You know, I would have shared your view about it not being a very good year until I started researching. It was violent and tragic, but much good came of it. Segregation in northern cities finally became recognized, the futility of the war in Vietnam seemed to be more apparent and widespread, and all kinds of new ideas emerged to blow out some of the cobwebs from the past. I personally think that the drive for equality of races began in 1968 (the drive for civil rights long before) and the gay rights movement stemmed from the revolutionary concepts that abounded them.

 

I spent some time on France for this story, and their May 1968 risings. The end result there was that the old cornerstones of French society, such as suffocating morals and religion, were tossed out the window in favor of more progressive ideas that permeate French society today.

 

Of course, it's easy for me to say this since I was only 6 when all this happened, so all of you feel free to disagree and you'll probably be right. Just my perceptions.