Notes from Toyland: 100 years of Toys and Games in Montana

In the 1960s

In 1963, President John Kennedy visited Great Falls, only months before his assassination in November of the same year. The President's death shocked the entire country, but for the Montanans who had seen him only a few months before, the blow hit extra hard. The rest of the decade would be defined by conflicts within the United States. Black Americans fought against racism and legalized discrimination, demanding the right to vote, the end of segregation, and the right to equal treatment. Montana's small Black population organized marches in support of the movement, and the state's much larger Native American population used similar strategies to fight for their own rights. Montana's senators, Mike Mansfield and Lee Metcalf, were both crucial to the eventual passage of national civil rights legislation, despite the opposition of many of their White constituents.

The Vietnam War, which had been slowly escalating since 1959, became a point of intense conflict between anti-war and anti-communist activists. Anti-war activists faced steep resistance in Montana, where thousands had joined the military. Even for children, the war was a constant presence -- thanks to the television, the Vietnam War was the first conflict that Americans could truly see for themselves, as reporters sent back photos and videos from the front. Television also helped introduce children to other ideas, including the music of the Beatles. Music, in fact, played an important role in the lives of young Montanans, and the Montana music scene thrived. During the 1960s, children in Montana largely stuck to classic toys, although now they were more likely to specify that they wanted a Barbie doll or a Hot Wheels car.

Here's a look at the kinds of things that Montana's children played with and asked for during this decade:
 

Play Spacewar!


(This game contains a flickering light at the center of the screen)

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