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Hard Hat Riot

Season 37 Episode 5 | 1hr 21m 16s

On May 8, 1970, construction workers in NYC violently clashed with students protesting the Vietnam War, signaling the emergence of a new kind of class divide. Hard Hat Riot chronicles a struggling city, a flailing president, and a bloody juncture when the nation diverged ― culminating in a new political and cultural landscape that radically redefined American politics. FROM AMERICAN EXPERIENCE.

Aired: 09/29/25 | Expires: 10/29/25
Corporate sponsorship for American Experience is provided by Liberty Mutual Insurance and Carlisle Companies. Major funding by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.
Extras
Watch a preview of Hard Hat Riot.
Watch a preview of Hard Hat Riot.
At the dawn of the 1970s, blue-collar workers were re-shaping New York City's skyline. But they were
In December 1969, the United States Selective Service conducted its first draft lottery since World
What was The Hard Hat Riot?
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