The West Coast Roots of Woodstock

The West Coast Roots of Woodstock is an astonishing look at the "hippie era" in Southern California. Photographer Jan Nichols captured authentic images of young people expressing their generation's sentiments from 1968 to 1971 at music festivals during an explosive time in American history.

Turn On, Tune In, Drop Out

Through never-before-seen photographs, the views, fashion, and expressions of young people in California are reflected during the late 1960s at some of the largest music festivals in the country as a pivotal time in American history unfolds.

The counterculture generation came of age during a time of major shifts in American culture -- anti-war protests, women's rights marches, black pride demonstrations, and gay pride events. This period was fraught with young people questioning authority and making their voices heard.

The pain and joy of this era is shown through the pictures. When the world was changing, the change was not just about young people listening to a different type of music than their parents or wearing their hair long; the change was representative of challenging times and changing values.

The freedom of youth and excitement for the future mixed with the realization that things may not be as they seemed -- all of these emotions are shown through these incredible and important photographs.

Photography by Jan Nichols

COMING SOON!