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SNCC formed
SNCC, a student activist group for African American civil rights, was formed in February 1960 as a means for peaceful protesting. -
First televised presidential debate
The first televised presidential debate, which pitted John F. Kennedy against incumbent VP Richard Nixon, aired live on September 20, 1960. Although Nixon won 60% of the live audience, Kennedy won 80% of the televised audience. -
First airing of "The Flintstones"
The first episode of the popular cartoon The Flintstones aired on September 30, 1960, and aired until April 1, 1966. -
President Kennedy is elected
John F. Kennedy defeats incumbent Vice President Richard Nixon in the election of 1960, becoming the 35th President of the United States. -
Russians send the first man into space
On April 12, 1961, Yuri Gagarin became the first man to enter space. The Russian spacecraft Vostok I was used to bring Yuri into orbit. -
Berlin Wall is constructed
The Soviet Union constructed a wall around West Berlin, creating new tensions in Europe about communism's expansions. -
Roger Maris of the Yankees breaks Babe Ruth's single season home run record
Roger Maris, in the Yankees / Red Sox game on October 1, 1961 (the last game of the regular season), hit his 61st home run of the season, breaking Babe Ruth's record, but his accomplishment was disputed for years within the league. -
SDS releases its Port Huron Statement
The Students for a Democratic Society, a New Left, student led group, released their Port Huron Statement, which was their mission argument. It included the idea of participatory democracy, which was a highlighted idea of the New Left. -
Marilyn Monroe dies
On August 5, 1962, Marilyn Monroe died in Los Angeles, CA due to a drug overdose. She was 36. -
James Meredith registers at Ole Miss
James Meredith attempted to enroll at the University of Mississippi, known as Ole Miss, which ended in riots that left two dead. National Guardsmen were called in by the Kennedy administration to stop the riots. -
Cuban Missile Crisis
Due to NATO missiles in Turkey, the USSR supplied Cuba with ballistic missiles, causing a 2 week long crisis regarding disarming Cuba. -
"Dr. No", the first James Bond movie, premieres
Dr. No, the first James Bond movie, premiered in England on May 8, 1963. It has since become the biggest spy film franchise to date, and redefined the idea of the film gentleman. -
Dr. King's "I Have a Dream" Speech
On August 28, 1963, on the steps of the Lincoln Monument, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. gave his most famous speech, which stressed that the future should be made peaceful by integrating children of both colors. -
John F. Kennedy is assassinated
On November 22, 1963, John F. Kennedy was assassinated by Lee Harvey Oswald in Dealey Plaza in Dallas, Texas. -
The Beatles arrive in the US
The Beatles arrived at JFK Airport in New York for their first arrival to the US, not knowing of the massive following they would gain from the country. -
The Beatles appear on Ed Sullivan
On February 9, 1964, The Beatles appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show for the first time. The show was known for making musical icons such as Elvis. -
New York World's Fair begins
The 1964 / 65 World's Fair, held in New York, hosted 80 nations and multiple attractions in Flushing Meadows Park in Queens. -
Gulf of Tonkin Incident
The USS Maddox was allegedly attacked by North Vietnamese u-boats off in the Gulf of Tonkin, prompting the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution days later. -
Lyndon B. Johnson defeats Barry Goldwater
Lyndon B. Johnson, in the 1964 election, beat Barry Goldwater 486 electoral votes to 52. He served one term as the 36th President of the United States of America. -
Malcolm X assassinated
On February 12, 1965, Malcolm X was assassinated in New York, NY by rival black Muslims only a week after his home was firebombed. -
Watts race riots
After a fight that occurred after a black man, Marquette Frye, riots broke out in the Watts neighborhood in Los Angeles. -
"Star Trek" airs
The first episode of "Star Trek", "The Man Trap", aired on September 8, 1966, and started one of most popular science fiction franchise of all time. -
LSD declared illegal by the U.S. government
LSD, or acid, was officially declared illegal by the US government on October 6, 1966, for its harmful effects on the body and mind. -
First NFL Football Super Bowl
The Packers won the first AFC-NFC championship, or Super Bowl, 35-10 against the Kansas City Chiefs. The MVP was Bart Starr, the Packers quarterback. -
The Beatles release "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band"
On May 26, 1967, The Beatles released "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band", an album that spent 15 weeks at number one in the US Billboards and 27 weeks in the UK. It is praised as one of the most innovative albums ever made. -
Boxer Muhammed Ali refuses military service
Muhammed Ali, a conscientious objector, refused the draft in 1967, citing religious reasons as his means of refusal. -
Monterey Music Festival held
The Monterey Music Festival occurred in June 1967, lasting 3 days and including some of the most popular artists at the time, including Otis Redding, The Who, and The Jimi Hendrix Experience. -
San Francisco's "Summer of Love" begins
The Summer of Love in San Francisco occurred in 1967 in San Francisco, which was a social counterculture phenomenon. -
Thurgood Marshall nominated to the Supreme Court
Thurgood Marshall was nominated as a Supreme Court Justice in 1967. He was the first African American justice, and is best known for his work in Brown v. BOE. -
Tet Offensive
The Tet Offensive, while a major victory for US and South Vietnamese forces against the Viet Cong surprise attack, brought about many domestic doubts about US involvement in Vietnam. -
Martin Luther King Jr. assassinated
On May 4, 1968, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated at the Lorraine Hotel in Memphis, Tennessee by James Earl Ray, signifying a shift to more aggressive civil rights tactics. -
Robert Kennedy is assassinated
Presidential candidate Robert Kennedy was shot and killed by Sirhan Sirhan at a victory for the California primaries in the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles. -
Protests at the 1968 Democratic National Convention
Counterculture and anti-Vietnam protesters displayed their angers towards Democratic policies, especially President Johnson, by protesting in Chicago for 8 days filled with conflict with police. -
President Nixon is elected
Richard Nixon, a previous VP, was elected the 37th President of the United States. His foreign policy of detente was a major step to ending the Cold War, but was limited by the Watergate Scandal. -
Stonewall riots
The Stonewall riots, caused by brutality at the gay nightclub in New York, the Stonewall Inn, started from a violent riot against police forces at the nightclub. -
American astronauts land on the moon
American astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin landed on the moon on July 20, 1969. The first of many Apollo missions, this marked the first time that humanity went further into space than our own orbit. -
Manson family murders Sharon Tate
Sharon Tate and 4 others were murdered by the Mansons, led by Charles Manson, a famous cult leader. The mass murder gained national attention, and is one of the most famous events associated with cult activity. -
Woodstock concert
Woodstock, which is arguably the most famous music festival in US history, marked the pinnacle of many famous artist's careers. The festival went from August 15 - 17, and was hosted by a dairy farm in upstate New York. -
The Rolling Stones host the Altamont music festival
A counterculture rock festival hosted by the Rolling Stones and Grateful Dead, it was plagued by increasing amounts of violence, leading multiple artists to leave early without going on stage. Some of the cases were extreme, including stabbings and drug overdoses, failing to be the next Woodstock that visitors wanted.
