Haight Ashbury In the 1960's: A Vibrant Hippie History

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In this paper, I want to share the history of Haight Ashbury, and its transition from a small town with nice Victorian homes, to its deterioration in the 1960’s. The importance of a farm in Woodstock, to the Cultural Revolution and how it all spread from there including the role of radio and television in spreading the news of the hippie movement and how an attempt to free culture from its moral ideals and standards only led it with no standards or moral compass, and all they were left with was thought to be an idea of the Summer of Love.
Haight Ashbury and its history has been an amazing phenomenon to many visitors. I have found that many people have visited to see the art, learn about the culture, and even hear about what kind of music everyone was obsessed with. Haight was named a “Vibrant Hippie History” because of its bright colors and very artsy buildings. In 1967, Haight formed the famous heyday, which included the infamous “Summer of Love.” This “Summer of Love” included a very psychedelic movement of experimentation and peaceful protests. The way that Haight Ashbury died out was caused by a fall but was originally a neighborhood of revolutionaries, famous singers, and cult leaders. I observed this fall and found out that it had been caused by people trashing it and abandoning it. It was later then filled with homeless people and drugs.
Why does Haight have an “artsy” culture? Well I can tell you. In the 1960’s, artists from spiritual groups, musical groups, and famous musicians descended on Haight Asbury to express their creativity. Fueled by drugs, this often gave the artists and participants a bad reputation. Local filmmakers and independent artists would show their movie work at the Red Vic Theater. The artists woul...

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...e of the hippie philosophy, the many people drawn to Haight Ashbury were teenagers, college students, members of the military, and vacationers. Many were drawn to the area because of radios playing popular songs, and major media, and newspapers, interest in the hippie culture. With the rival of all those hoping to find a place with a perfect culture, the area deteriorated. Homelessness, drug problems and crime drove many away with broken lives, and shattered dreams.

References
G, Gilbert. "Hippies." New World 16 May 1967: 1. Newspaper.
G., Gilbert. "Report From Haight - Ashbury." San Francisco Chronicle 15 May 1967: 1. Newspaper.
McIntire, C. "Haight Ashbury Literary Journal." San Francisco Chronicale 1979: 2. Newspaper.
Schwartz, C. Huffington Post. September 15 2012. Website. 4 April 2014.
Unterberger, R. Eight Miles High. Berkley: Backbeat Books, 2003. Book.

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