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This is the 26th time Chicago will be hosting the DNC. Interestingly, the first-ever US political convention was held in Chicago back in 1860. The 1968 and 1996 DNC were the last two conventions the city got the chance to host. So let’s take a look at what makes these two DNC conventions so notable. read more
 "Riots in 1968, Macarena in 96, how Windy City was host to historic conventions")
As the stage is set for the 2024 DNC in chicago a look back at what happened the last two times the city hosted the convention. AP
The stage is set for the 2024 Democratic National Convention (DNC) where US Vice President Kamala Harris will be accepting the Democratic Party nomination for the upcoming presidential elections. What makes this year’s convention interesting is the fact that Chicago will be hosting it.
The decision to host the event in Chicago, Illinois was announced in April this year, way before US President Joe Biden ended his re-election bid and endorsed his second-in-command Kamala Harris.
The event, which will start on August 19 and will go on till August 22, is expected to give big political clout to Illinois Democrats, including Governor JB Pritzker. It is pertinent to note that this is the 26th time Chicago will be hosting the DNC. Interestingly, the first-ever US political convention was held in Chicago in 1860.
Two of the most notable DNC conventions were hosted by Chicago as well. The 1968 and 1996 DNC were the last two conventions the city got the chance to host. So let’s take a look at what makes these two DNC conventions so notable.
What happened during the 1968 Democratic National Convention
- The run-up to the DNC and the chaos that followed
Many easily get reminded of the doomed DNC convention with the phrase “Chicago 68”. Before 1968, Chicago was known for hosting the most presidential nominating conventions than any city in the United States. There had been nine Democratic conventions in the centrally located and convention-friendly city and - 14 Republican ones.
However, neither of the two parties came back to Chicago, until 1996, when Democrats conducted the DNC that chose former president Bill Clinton as their nominee. There were tensions within the Democrats before the DNC week started.
Amid growing protests against America’s involvement in the Vietnam War, the country’s then-president Lyndon B. Johnson announced that he wouldn’t be running for a re-election bid. The decision came five months before the country was heading to polls, leaving the Democrats in complete panic.
The country was also shaken by the assassinations of Martin Luther King Jr and Robert Kennedy, who was running for the Democratic nomination.
The hot DNC week started with the fight on the first night. There was contention over which delegations should be seated from Texas and other states. The rest of the week, the party spent feuding over who would speak at the convention and of course who would be the presidential nominee. By the third and fourth nights, the fighting became so severe that even the Democratic lawmakers were engaged in pushing and shoving.
After heated exchanges, LBJ’s close ally Hubert Humphrey was nominated for the Democratic ticket on the final day of the convention. However, he eventually lost the November polls to then-Republican candidate Richard Nixon, who eventually became another controversial president.
- What was happening outside
Much of the fighting which was happening inside the convention was a reaction to the turbulent situation outside the International Amphitheater.
On the third night of the DNC, thousands of anti-Vietnam war protesters forcefully marched towards the stately Conrad Hilton Hotel where the convention had its headquarters. The protesters clashed with the police and the chaos became known as the “Battle of Michigan Avenue.”
The activists were taken by surprise after they witnessed the US National Guardsmen with bayonets, protesters ripped from cars or beaten with police batons, and thick clouds of tear gas wafting through crowds of thousands. The clashes eventually led to the arrest of more than 600 protesters and over 100 were left injured. Not only this, 119 police officers were also injured in the clashes.
- The root cause of all evil: Mayor Richard J. Daley
Another major reason for the protests in the region was the “dictatorial” attitude of then-Chicago Mayor Richard J. Daley. Having fought hard to host the convention in the city, Daley wanted to showcase to outsiders that “everything was okay”, but things were not okay.
Just months before the DNC, Daley issued “shoot to kill” orders in the wake of riots after the assassination of Martin Luther King. During the convention, he ordered the Chicago police to work 12-hour shifts and pushed for thousands of fully armed National Guardsmen and the US Army against the protesters.
What was more devastating was the fact that the whole carnage was broadcast live on television and demonstrators were seen chanting “The world is watching”. The clash between protesters and authorities eventually ended with the infamous trial of “Chicago 7” in which a group of anti-war protesters were charged with conspiracy and crossing the state lines with the intention of inciting riots at the DNC. The trial also became the main plot of Aaron Sorkin’s movie “The Trial of Chicago 7,” starring Sacha Baron Cohen and Eddie Redmayne.
The Comeback - 1996 ‘Macarena’ took over
After the Chicago 68 saga, neither Democrats nor Republicans conducted their convention in the city. Things changed in 1996 when the city hosted the 25th political convention with Democrats coming back again.
Things were not that intense this time, in fact, a new trend made it one of the most iconic conventions hosted by either of the parties. The reason it was iconic was because of the fact that videos from the convention still managed to take the internet by storm.
Obsessed with this moment in history in which the DNC dances to the Macarena...... ne'er again shall the twain meet ...... i hope pic.twitter.com/bgTONmvrh4
— Willem (@jil_slander) April 18, 2020While the presidential nominee was uncertain during the 1968 convention, the 1996 convention was essentially a re-coronation of President Bill Clinton, who was destined to defeat Bob Dole in a landslide. One of the highlights of the convention that year was a speech by the paralyzed actor Christopher Reeve on opening night, with Reeve speaking passionately about the Americans with Disabilities Act.
However, what still makes the convention memorable was the moment when all the democratic delegates at the United Center danced to the song of that summer, “Macarena” by Los del Río. 20 years before she herself became the Democratic Presidential nominee, former First Lady Hillary Clinton also clapped and swayed to the tunes of the song. The 1996 convention is still touted as the redemption moment for the “Windy City”.
Overall, as the Harris-Walz campaign keeps on roaring, there will be eyes on this year’s convention too. With the rise of pro-Palestinian protests across the country, many are looking to avoid the demonstrations (if any) to turn violent.
With inputs from agencies.
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English (US) ·