1968 Democratic National Convention Facts for Kids

The 1968 Democratic National Convention was a big meeting for the Democratic Party in the U.S. It happened in Chicago, Illinois, from August 26 to August 29, 1968. The main goal was to pick a new person to run for president. This was because the current president, Lyndon B. Johnson, decided not to run again.

Vice President Hubert Humphrey was chosen to run for president. Senator Edmund S. Muskie from Maine was picked to run for vice president. Senator Daniel Inouye from Hawaii gave an important speech at the convention.

The year 1968 was a very difficult time in the United States. There was a lot of unrest and protests. Many cities saw riots after the death of Martin Luther King, Jr. in April. Another sad event was the death of Senator Robert F. Kennedy from New York in June. He had been hoping to become the Democratic presidential candidate.

Before the convention, Senator Robert F. Kennedy and Senator Eugene McCarthy from Minnesota were running against Hubert Humphrey. Senator George McGovern from South Dakota was also a candidate.

Chicago's mayor, Richard J. Daley, wanted to show off his city. But the convention became famous for something else. Many people came to protest outside. The Chicago police used force against the demonstrators. The protests were called a "Festival of Life" by some organizers. There were clashes between the protesters and the police. The Illinois National Guard also helped the police. News reporters like Mike Wallace and Dan Rather were even hurt by the police while reporting. The news media showed these events to everyone.

1968 Democratic National Convention facts for kids

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