LIFE Woodstock at 50 – July 2019

The summer of 1969 found America fraught with political and cultural turmoil. The Vietnam War, the recent assassinations of Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert F. Kennedy, and a divisive presidential election all created nothing short of national, existential despair. Then, on Max Yasgur’s muddy dairy farm in Upstate New York, the counterculture found its voice. Now, the editors at LIFE mark the 50th anniversary of the transformative event with ‘Woodstock.’ This special edition takes you back to the infamous “Aquarian Explosion: 3 Days of Peace and Music” that drew not the expected 50,000 people but a mass of more than 400,000. You’ll go “Back to the Garden” to examine the cultural context of the time, and “Down to Yasgur’s Farm” where perseverance led to triumph. Relive the heart and soul of the event, the three days of musical performances, which included the Who, Janis Joplin, and Jimi Hendrix. Hear from participants, like activist Wavy Gravy and many of the attendees. Finally, consider the profound influence and legacy of Woodstock Nation in “We Are Stardust…” In a time when many would argue that America is again fractured and in need of a new unified cultural identity, let LIFE’s special edition, ‘Woodstock,’ take you back to when gathering together in song became revolutionary.