-
Period: to
Civil Rights Movement
The decision on the case Brown vs the Board of Education is widely considered to be the start of the Civil Rights movement. This movement is considered active by some, and others believe it ended with the signing of the Civil Rights Act in 1968. -
Elvis Presley
Forrest Gump met Elvis Presley and taught him how to dance before Elvis's career really took off. Elvis was a popular musician who was referred to as "the King". He died in 1977. -
Desegregation of University of Alabama
The University of Alabama was desegregated in 1963 after the enrollment of black students Jimmy Hood and Vivian Malone. George Wallace, the governor of Alabama, infamously attempted to uphold segregation by "standing in the schoolhouse door", but was forced to move after President Kennedy sent in the National Guard. -
JFK Assassination
JFK was assassinated by Lee Harvey Oswald on November 22, 1963. Oswald was a Soviet sympathizer, and he believed the best course of action was to shoot the President to destabilize the government. -
The Hippie Movement
The Hippie Movement became popular in the mid-1960s as a form of protest to the Vietnam war. The phrase "Make Love Not War" became popular as protesters hoped to end the war and bring home American soldiers. -
Protests of the Vietnam War
100,000 people marched in Washington DC to protest continued United States involvement in the Vietnam War. The goal of this protest was to bring the troops home. -
Assassination of Robert Kennedy
Robert Kennedy was assassinated by a Palestinian immigrant after publicly supporting Israel. -
Man Lands on the Moon
A space shuttle piloted by American astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin landed on the moon, claiming American victory in the so-called "Space Race". The shuttle was made of titanium, the same substance used in Lieutenant Dan's new legs. -
Ping Pong Diplomacy
United States delegates entered China for the first time since 1949 when United States ping pong players were invited to play in the country. This created a channel of diplomatic communication between the two countries that was otherwise impossible. -
Watergate Scandal Arrests
Five men were arrested after they were caught breaking into the offices of the Democratic National Committee offices in the Watergate Hotel. The scandal was eventually linked to the President at the time, Richard Nixon, and forced his resignation from his office. -
Vietnam War
The United States entered war with Vietnam to prevent The Domino Effect, hoping to contain the spread of communism. This led to a divide in the country and is not considered an American victory. 1975 marked the official end of this war, though ground troops had been withdrawn on August 15, 1973. -
Period: to
AIDS Epidemic
AIDS became an epidemic in the 1980s after drug use rapidly increased in the 1970s. AIDS weakens the immune system, making non-fatal illnesses much more dangerous. The dates of this epidemic are not well defined, but the 80s are seen as the high point.
