Fifty years ago, on August 15, 1969, musician Richie Havens [1941-1913] had the honor of opening the Woodstock Festival on Max Yasgur's dairy farm in Bethel, New York. Billed as "An Aquarian Exposition: 3 Days of Peace & Music," the event was unprecedented in both scope and cultural influence, drawing numerous internationally-recognized artists and a crowd estimated at over 400,000. The video above shows Havens performing "Freedom," a song he improvised in the moment, and which closed out his set launching the festival. The poster to the right was designed by Arnold Skolnick, who was said to have received about $15 for his efforts.
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