Ayers became part of the New Left and the Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) in the early 1960s. In 1968 and 1969, Ayers became well known as a head of the SDS. He was head of a smaller SDS group called the "Jesse James Gang". Ayers made important changes to Weatherman beliefs about being militant (ready to fight for the cause). The group that Ayers headed in Detroit, Michigan became one of the first groups that would turn into the Weathermen. Before the June 1969 SDS convention, Ayers became an important head of the group. This came about due to a split in the group.