The 1960s was a decade of enormous cultural importance, with shifts in public image, political unrest, art and music all adding up to a period defined by the people taking control of their world and turning it on its head. It was a time that saw the rise of public figures who would change the landscape of their fields. Martin Luther King Jr. would drive the American Civil Rights Movement forward leaps and bounds, while fashion designer Mary Quant would give a newly sexually-liberated society a whole new way to dress. Music was no longer dominated by big bands or orchestras, instead being taken over by groups of youngsters like The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, and The Jimi Hendrix Experience. The politically-wise amongst them, such as Bob Dylan, would even use their music to further their political agenda. The sixties saw science fiction come to life, with man stepping foot on the moon for the first time, televised far below on Earth, while a generation of young men were seeing action first hand that was only previously witnessed in war films, taking up arms in the controversial Vietnam War. And it was all caught on film, immortalised in images captured by hordes of photographers looking for the next Pulitzer Prize-winning photograph. Some of those images are iconic simply for their visual appeal, while others are iconic for their ability to define the time that they were created. Following are 19 of those photographs, each one with a fascinating tale to tell.
