The Hippie Movement was a countercultural phenomenon that emerged in the 1960s and '70s, characterized by a rejection of mainstream American values and a focus on peace, love, and harmony. It originated in the United States and spread globally, influencing music, fashion, and social norms.
In the April 27, 1961 issue of The Village Voice, Norman Mailer used the term hippies in an open letter to JFK & Fidel Castro, questioning JFK's behavior.
Timothy Leary and Richard Alpert formed the International Foundation for Internal Freedom in Newton, Massachusetts, initially residing in two houses before relocating to a 64-room mansion in Millbrook, New York.
In April 1963, Chandler A. Laughlin III established a tribal, family identity among attendees of a Native American peyote ceremony, leading to the creation of a unique genre of musical expression at the 'Red Dog Saloon' in Virginia City, Nevada.
In 1964, author Ken Kesey and his friends embarked on a cross-country trip in a colorful bus named 'Furthur', fueled by mind-altering drugs like LSD. This journey, documented in Tom Wolfe's book 'The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test', inadvertently sparked the counterculture movement.
On March 17, 1965, protests against the Vietnam War started as a significant movement within the Hippie Movement.
In March 21, 1965, crystalline LSD was successfully synthesized, playing a role in the counterculture movement of the 1960s.
On August 31, 1965, the act of burning draft cards became illegal, impacting the anti-war sentiment during the Vietnam War era.
The Family Dog hosted a psychedelic rock performance at Longshoreman's Hall in San Francisco, featuring Jefferson Airplane, The Great Society, and The Marbles. Approximately 1,000 of the Bay Area's original 'hippies' attended.
The Trips Festival organized by Stewart Brand, Ken Kesey, and others took place at Longshoreman's Hall in San Francisco. It attracted 10,000 attendees and featured performances by the Grateful Dead and Big Brother and the Holding Company.
The term 'hippie' was used for the first time in 1966.
The book 'Been Down So Long It Looks Like Up to Me' by Richard Fariña, written in 1963 and published on April 28, 1966, was considered as evidence of the transition from 'beatnik' to 'hippie' culture.
On September 19, 1966, Timothy Leary founded the League for Spiritual Discovery, a religion centered around the use of LSD as a holy sacrament. The organization aimed to maintain legal status for the use of psychedelics for religious purposes.
In response to the criminalization of LSD, San Francisco hippies organized 'The Love Pageant Rally' in Golden Gate Park. The purpose was to protest against the illegalization of psychedelics and to show that LSD users were not criminals.
An event that took place on November 5, 1966, promoting love, peace, and freedom.
On November 12, 1966, the Sunset Strip curfew riots erupted in West Hollywood, California, as young people protested against strict curfew and loitering laws perceived as infringing on their civil rights.
The outdoor Human Be-In held in San Francisco on January 14, 1967, played a significant role in popularizing hippie culture throughout the United States.
The Mantra Rock Dance event took place on January 29, 1967, contributing to the spread of counterculture and spiritual movements during the 1960s.
On March 26, 1967, Lou Reed, Edie Sedgwick, and 10,000 hippies came together in Manhattan for the Central Park Be-In on Easter Sunday.
The Monterey Pop Festival from June 16 to June 18, 1967, introduced the rock music of the counterculture to a wide audience and marked the start of the 'Summer of Love'.
On July 7, 1967, Time magazine featured a cover story entitled 'The Hippies: The Philosophy of a Subculture', describing the guidelines of the hippie code.
In July 24, 1967, the Summer of Love in San Francisco began with the first human be-in, marking the start of a cultural phenomenon that celebrated love, peace, and music.
The Death of Hippie event in San Francisco marked the end of the Summer of Love and the hippie movement in the city. It was organized by the Diggers to encourage people to bring the revolution to their own locales. The event included a funeral procession from Buena Vista Park to the Panhandle, symbolizing the fate of the hippie movement.
A book written by Tom Wolfe in 1968, exploring the experiences of author Ken Kesey and his group of followers known as the Merry Pranksters as they traveled across the United States in a psychedelic painted bus.
Woodstock was a three-day music event held in Bethel, NY, in 1969, attended by over 400,000 people and featuring iconic rock artists like Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, and Jefferson Airplane.
The Pilgrimage for Pop Festival held in Ourimbah, New South Wales in January 1970 showcased the emerging hippie movement in Australia.
The Kent State Massacre occurred on May 4, 1970, in Kent, Ohio, during a protest against the Vietnam War and Nixon's invasion of Cambodia. Ohio National Guardsmen fired at students, killing four and injuring nine.
The May Day Protests in 1971 marked the peak of the anti-war movement, with over 12,000 protesters arrested in Washington, D.C. President Nixon engaged with some of the protesters, and the draft was subsequently ended in January 1973.
In August 1971, John Lennon and Yoko Ono moved to New York City and joined forces with notable activists, including the Chicago Trial 'Yippie' defendants.
John Lennon performed at the John Sinclair Freedom Rally in Michigan to protest against Sinclair's imprisonment for giving two joints to an undercover policewoman.
A Colombian psychiatrist claimed that being a hippie is a type of mental disorder that could be inherited by one's offspring.
By June 1973, amidst the Watergate scandal, John Lennon and Yoko Ono made a political statement by attending one of the Watergate hearings.
The Stonehenge Free Festival was initiated by new age travelers in 1974 in the UK. However, it was later banned by English Heritage in 1985, leading to the Battle of the Beanfield.
In 1975, the deportation case against John Lennon was dropped, marking a victory for the anti-war and counterculture movement.
Hippie music festivals became popular in 1976, attracting a large audience and showcasing the music of the counterculture movement.
In January 1977, John Lennon and Yoko Ono attended the Inaugural Ball of President Jimmy Carter, showcasing their continued presence in political and social circles.
The Nambassa Festivals were held on a grassed plateau above a white sand east coast beach over Auckland Anniversary Weekend.
The Third Nambassa Festival took place in 1979.
The annual Starwood Festival, founded in 1981, is a six-day event held in Pomeroy, Ohio indicative of the spiritual quest of hippies through an exploration of non-mainstream religions and world-views.
The Battle of the Beanfield occurred in 1985 when English Heritage legally banned the Stonehenge Free Festival, resulting in a clash between new age travellers and the authorities.
The Burning Man festival started in 1986 at a San Francisco beach party and has since been held in the Black Rock Desert in Nevada. It is a contemporary expression of alternative community similar to early hippie events.
Around 1994, a new term 'Zippie' was coined to describe hippies who embraced New Age beliefs, new technology, and a love for electronic music.
In 1995, The Sekhmet Hypothesis attempted to connect hippie and rave culture through transactional analysis. It suggested that rave culture embodied friendly strength, contrasting with the gentle hippie archetype of friendly weakness.
After the hippie era, Dudeism, a philosophy and lifestyle inspired by the character 'The Dude' from the Coen Brothers' 1998 film The Big Lebowski, was developed. Dudeism blends elements of Chinese Taoism and Epicureanism.
A book by Skip Stone that explores the world of hippies, covering topics such as sex, drugs, music, and their impact on society from the 1960s to the present.
Held annually in Manchester, Tennessee, the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival has become a tradition for many music fans, since its sold-out premiere in 2002.
The 10,000 Lakes Festival is an annual three-day music festival in Detroit Lakes, Minnesota. Also referred to as '10KLF' (K for thousand, LF for Lakes Festival), the festival began in 2003.
A publication by Andy Walpole in 2004, providing insights into the hippie subculture and the iconic Summer of Love event in 1967. It contributes to the documentation of the cultural and social aspects of the hippie movement.
The Glastonbury Festival, which covered 900 acres and attracted 150,000 people in 2005, has become a significant event for new age travellers and hippies, although some argue it has become too commercial.
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation's documentary 'Hippie Society: The Youth Rebellion' delves into the cultural impact and societal significance of the hippie movement during the 1960s.
John Curl's memoir 'Memories of DROP CITY' provides a personal account of the experiences within the first hippie commune, shedding light on the ideals and challenges faced during the Summer of Love.