Why the 1960s Had So Many Assassinations

The decade opened with the conviction that political murder was a historical relic and closed with a scarred generation. Why the concentration? Firearms were cheap and mail order; air and motorcade travel put leaders in open contact with crowds; television gave killers instant immortality; and deep cleavage over race, war, and decolonization supplied motive.

The list is numbing: JFK in 1963, Malcolm X in 1965, MLK and RFK in 1968, abroad Trujillo, Diem, Asanuma, and others. Afterward came the protective response: candidate protection by the Secret Service after RFK, armored limousines, and the shrinking of the public presidency..