THE GREAT SPECKLED BIRD - WHAT'S IT ALL ABOUT?
Volume 1, Issue 16
haley russell
THE ALTERNATIVE PRESS MOVEMENT
For the younger generation, the 1960s were characterized by music festivals, recreational drugs, opposition to the Vietnam War, the Civil Rights movement, and a quest to find “good vibes.” The older generation was very much detached from this new culture. The disconnect between the two ages is easily represented in some of the prominent newspapers from the time, in which older writers attempt to understand the current events of the youth. In addition to not understanding the youth, the older generation had vastly different viewpoints on political and social issues and was looked at as conservative. The frustration from the youth of being misrepresented in the current media, as well as the lack of more radical views, began the Alternative Press movement.
Conveniently, newspaper production became much more accessible during this time. Although small “underground” newspapers didn’t have the same leverage as national ones, they got a surprising amount of visibility due to clusters of hip communities. Although many of these small radical newspapers didn’t earn a profit, the main goal of having a voice and accurate representation was met.
THE MOVEMENT IN ATLANTA
It wasn’t long until the alternative press movement made its way to one of the busiest and most influential cities in the south, Atlanta. The Great Speckled Bird, called the Bird, was printed from 1968 to 1976. Along with being the longest printed underground newspaper, it was successful in connecting the New Left Movement and counterculture throughout the south. The Bird included everything from updates on the Vietnam War to poems and playwrights, to music reviews. Through analyzing digitized copies of the Great Speckled Bird, readers gain insights into the leftist views of important topics of the time, how underground newspapers delivered their messages and the popular culture of the late 1960s.
HISTORY OF THE BIRD
Like many radical movements of the time, students were largely involved in the creation of the Great Speckled Bird—specifically, a group of leftist Emory University students. The group started by publishing an anti-Vietnam War flyer around campus and eventually started working with other student groups from local colleges.