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SNCC formed
The Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee was formed to give younger Black people more of a voice in the civil rights movement. -
First televised Presidential debate
Richard M. Nixon and John F. Kennedy debated for the first time on television. -
First airing of "The Flintstones"
The Flintstones first were introduced to television audiences by ABC. -
President Kennedy is elected
Democratic United States Senator John F. Kennedy defeated Vice President Richard Nixon, the Republican Party nominee. -
Russians sent the first man into space
Yuri Alekseyevich Gagarin, a Soviet pilot, and cosmonaut became the first human to journey into outer space. -
Berlin Wall is constructed
East German soldiers laid down more than 30 miles of barbed wire barrier through the heart of Berlin. -
Roger Maris of the Yankees breaks Babe Ruth's single season home run record
In New York's final game of the regular season, Yankees slugger Roger Maris hits his 61st home run, becoming the first player in Major League Baseball to hit more than 60 in a season. -
SDS released its Port Huron statement
SDS (Students for a Democratic Society) released it's Port Huron statement, a critique of the political and social system of the United States for failing to achieve international peace and economic justice -
Marilyn Monroe dies
Marilyn Monroe died of a barbiturate overdose late in the evening. -
James Meredith registers at Ole Miss
James Meredith enrolled in Ole Miss, the all-white public university. -
"Dr. No" the first James Bond movie premieres
The first movie in the James Bond series is released. -
Cuban Missile Crisis
U-2 secretly photographed nuclear missile sites being built by the Soviet Union on the island of Cuba. -
Dr. King's "I Have A Dream" speech
Civil Rights speech given by Martin Luther King Jr. -
John F Kennedy is assinated
Kennedy was killed by an assassin as his motorcade wound through Dallas, Texas. -
The Beatles arrive in the United States
The Beatles arrived at John F Kennedy airport in New York, greeted by thousands of screaming fans. -
The Beatles on The Ed Sullivan Show
The Beatles made their first live American television appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show. -
New York's World Fair begins
The second World's Fair to be held in New York in the 20th century. It opened on April 21, 1964 for two six-month seasons, ending on October 21, 1965. -
Lyndon B Johnson defeats Barry Goldwater
Johnson beat Goldwater in the general election, winning over 61% of the popular vote -
Malcolm X is assassinated
Malcolm X was assassinated by three gunmen at an Organization of Afro-American Unity rally in the Audubon Ballroom in New York City. -
LSD declared illegal by the US government
LSD, an abused drug, was banned. -
Watts race riots
A week-long rebellion that took place in the Watts neighborhood of South Central Los Angeles after police allegedly kicked a pregnant woman in the belly during the arrest of a drunk driver. -
"Star Trek" TV show airs
The science fiction show, "Star Trek" aired and became very popular. -
San Francisco "Summer of Love" begins
A gathering of thousands in San Francisco kicks off the Summer of Love and introduces “hippies” to the mainstream media. -
First NFL Superbowl
Green Bay beat Kansas City 35-10 in the first NFL Superbowl -
Boxer Muhammad Ali refuses military service
Ali arrived to be inducted in the United States Armed Forces and he refused, saying his religion forbade him from serving. Because of this, he had to strip of his heavyweight title, a suspension from boxing, a $10,000 fine, and a five-year prison sentence. -
Beatles release Sgt. Pepper's album
The US release date was on June second, the first album to have the same exact track listings in the US and UK -
Thurgood Marshall nominated to the Supreme Court
The first Black person to serve as a Supreme Court Justice. -
Tet offensive
A major escalation and one of the largest military campaigns of the Vietnam War. -
Martin Luther King Jr. assassinated
Martin Luther King Jr. was shot while standing on a balcony outside his second-floor room at the Lorraine Motel. -
Robert Kennedy is assasinated
Robert F. Kennedy was shot by Sirhan Sirhan shortly after midnight at the Ambassador Hotel, in Los Angeles. -
Protests at the 1968 Democratic National Convention
The 1968 Democratic National Convention protests were a series of protest activities against the Vietnam War. -
Stonewall riots
A series of spontaneous protests by members of the gay community in response to a police raid. -
American astronauts land on the moon
Neil Armstrong and Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin became the first humans ever to land on the moon. -
Woodstock Concert
A music festival held on Max Yasgur's dairy farm in Bethel, New York 40 miles southwest of the town of Woodstock. -
Richard Nixon is elected
Richard Nixon was elected the 37th president of the United States -
Rolling Stones host Altamont music festival
Music festival similar to Woodstock that took place four months earlier.