They came wearing crowns of daffodils in their hair, their foreheads painted rainbow blue and gold as they strolled through Central Park, kites drifting overhead. It was March 26, 1967, and more than 10,000 New Yorkers from Brooklyn to the Bronx gathered for a “Be In” on Easter Sunday to spread a message of love and tolerance.

Attendees covered a police car with flowers. They chanted, “L-O-V-E, L-O-V-E, L-O-V-E,” and strummed guitars as police officers kept a watchful eye. Women showed off their Easter bonnets. The New York Times described it at the time as “noisy, swarming, chaotic and utterly surrealistic.” For many it was a reminder that Central Park was a unique place for people to gather in a country divided by race, politics and women’s rights. It was front-page news.