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south
South Pacific, the prize-winning musical, opens on Broadway on April 7. -
harry
Harry Truman is inaugurated as U.S. president after being elected in 1948 to his own term; previously he was sworn in following the death of Franklin D. Roosevelt. He authorized the use of atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan during World War II, on August 6 and August 9, 1945, respectively -
rosenbrugs
The Rosenbergs, Ethel and Julius, were convicted on March 29 for espionage -
Jack
Jack Kerouac publishes his first novel in seven years, On the Road -
Buddy Holly
Buddy Holly dies in a plane crash on February 3 with Ritchie Valens and The Big Bopper, in a day that had a devastating impact on the country and youth culture -
Ringo Starr
British Beatlemania: The Beatles, a British rock group, gain Ringo Starr as drummer and Brian Epstein as manager, and join the EMI's Parlophone label. They soon become the world's most famous rock band , with the word "Beatlemania" adopted by the press for their fans' unprecedented enthusiasm. It also began the British Invasion in the United States -
belgains
Belgians in the Congo: The Republic of the Congo (Leopoldville) was declared independent of Belgium on June 30, with Joseph Kasavubu as President and Patrice Lumumba as Prime Minister -
Richard Nixon
Richard Nixon back again: Former Vice President Nixon is elected in the 1968 presidential election of the United States -
Punk rock
Punk rock: The Ramones form, with the Sex Pistols following in 1975, bringing in the punk era. -
ayaatollahs
Ayatollah's in Iran: During the Iranian Revolution of 1979, the West-backed and U.S.-installed Shah is overthrown as the Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini gains power after years in exile -
heavy metal
Heavy metal suicide: In the 1980s Ozzy Osbourne and the bands Judas Priest and Metallica were brought to court by parents who accused the musicians of hiding subliminal pro-suicide messages in their music
