Please Forward Widely!!!!

Calling all young activists, progressives, radicals, and revolutionaries!!! Was your dad a Black Panther? Did your mom fight against the war in Vietnam? Can you imagine a time when people thought that revolution was possible (even inevitable), a time before cynicism and apathy became the order of the day? We are assembling an anthology of young people's writings on the 1960s. The goal of the anthology is to forge a new perspective on the hotly-contested question of the "Legacy of the Sixties." What does the next generation think? What is your understanding of the "Sixties" -- that period of upsurge that extends roughly from the early-mid 1960s civil rights struggles through the winding down of the Vietnam war and the decline of the Movement in the early-mid 1970s. What lessons have you drawn? What about the 60s inspires you, what were its limitations/shortcomings, and what part of this understanding do you use to frame your activism today in relation to a changing world situation? At a time of unending war, racist negligence in New Orleans, attacks on abortion, and an overall climate of fear and intolerance, the 60s are more relevant now than ever. Who will be our Mario Savio? Who will be our Malcolm X?

We are hoping that the writings that people contribute will express the diversity of the "Movement" in the 60s -- Civil Rights, Black Power, the Chicano, Native American, and Asian-American struggles, the Women's movement, the counter-culture, and of course the Anti-War movement. The international dimension can also be brought in -- the "Sixties" that happened all over the world (from revolts in France and Mexico to revolutionary ferment in Cuba and China) and the dialectical relationship between a world on fire and an America in rebellion. All this should be explained in terms of the underlying theme of the 1960s as an historical epoch, a time of great social change and hope for the future.

Entry specifications are very open. This is not an academic research project. You do not have to know everything about 60s. Remember, your entry should be as much about your "relationship" to the 60s as it is about the 60s itself. Personal and family anecdotes are good. Make sure to not be redundant and try to use historical examples to back up your conclusions. Add a brief bio about your life, your activism, where you grew up, or anything else you'd like people to know about you. Do not feel discouraged if your writing skills are not good enough. We can help with works in progress. Entries should be 3-15 pages, double spaced. Send it as a Word attachment. The deadline for submissions is July 1, 2006. You should be under 30 (although if your piece is really good, we may be somewhat flexible).

P.S. Relevant poetry would be cool too.

Editors,

The collective

anthology_1960s@yahoo.com