Festival of Life

“American is Carnivorous” – Scarce ephemera from the 1968 Vietnam War protest in Chicago.

“Behind slick Pictures of pretty-suburban-middle-class-churchgoing-family lie hamburgers seasoned with napalm, race crimes too brutal to recall, cultures Plundered, and triviality elevated into a way of life…You are smiling but there is blood flowing out of your mouth: your wealth is death to your soul…The white youth of America have more in common with Indians plundered, than they do with their own parents. Burn their house down and you will be free.” [Page 2]

This eye-opening counter-culture packet was published in 1968 by the Youth International Party (Yippies) for distribution to the media prior to the group’s planned ‘Yip-Out’ in Central Park, New York. This event was itself a staging ground for the larger protest called The Festival of Life. Held in Chicago to coincide with the 1968 Democratic National Convention, the three-day music festival/party devolved into violent clashes with the Chicago Police Department, resulting in hundreds of injuries. Some measure of conflict was likely expected, as the pamphlet includes instructions for how to make a Molotov cocktail!

Introductory text (excerpt above) was allegedly penned by Jerry Rubin, one of the founding members of the Yippies. It’s followed by a psychedelic print reflecting the apotheosis of man (and woman) and a promotional flyer for the Yip-Out. On the verso is a formula for synthetic DMT and DET – “with all supplied bought for less than $10 from a chemical supply house.”

The fourth page presents an image of the Buddha with a provocative slogan, while the last page presents a visual manifestation of the Yippie’s creed and an explanation of the symbolism of the six-pointed star. An uncommon piece of ephemeral history that represents some of the fringe elements from that chaotic August week in Chicago in 1968.

Source: 1968 DNC Convention (History);