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SNCC Formed
The Student Nonviolent Coordination Committee was created with the purpose of advancing the civil rights cause. They employed demonstrations such as sit-ins and helped encourage black voters. -
First Televised Presidential Debate
The first televised debate of candidates John F. Kennedy (Democrat) and Richard Nixon (Republican) happened on this day. It is widely believed that this helped Kennedy's campaign (as he was a fine look'n fellow), leading to his victory. Topics included experience/qualification, and the reason for American growth in wealth and public education. -
First Airing of "The Flinstones"
"The Flinstones" was a highly successful animated tv show, based in a stone-age community with unusual, dinosaur-based technology. The events of the show, though prehistoric, mirrored modern day troubles. It was the longest running show of it's kind until The Simpsons. -
President Kennedy is Elected
The 44th presidential election, with Kennedy (a Democrat) the victor. It is widely believed that the televised debates between him and Nixon were a great boost to his campaign and secured him victory. -
Russians Send First Man Into Space
Following Sputnik this was Russia;s last major victory in the space race, when Yuri Gagarin orbited the earth in 108 minutes in the Vostok spacecraft. Gagarin became a hero of the Soviet Union. and later died in a jet accident. -
Berlin Wall is Constructed
In response to the mass exodus of East Germans into the West, the East German government built a wall on the border almost overnight. The thinly veiled motivation for doing so was protecting them from the "fascist" westerners, though of course it was to prevent defection. -
Roger Maris beats Babe Ruth's Home Run Record
Roger Maris, also of the Yankees, hit 61 home runs in (coincidentally) 1961, beating Ruth's record of 60 in 1927. There was however controversy as to the legitimacy of the record as he hit the record breaking run in a game which only happened due to an extended season. -
SDS Releases Port Huron Statement
The activist group Students for a Democratic Society wrote their manifesto at a United Auto Workers retreat in Port Huron, Michigan. The statement criticized the US for how it was handling the cold war, and the civil rights issues at home, and delineated a vision for a better, egalitarian America. -
Death of Marilyn Monroe
Marilyn Monroe, famous actress, overdosed on barbiturates in her home in Los Angeles, California. Though many believe that there may have been foul play involving the Kennedy's or some other high operating party, the official investigation found no such evidence. Whether intentional or not this outcome is unfortunately unsurprising given her emotional troubles and previous substance abuse. -
James Meredith applies to Ole Miss
James Meredith, an African American, enrolled in the University of Mississippi, leading to riots. This followed Brown vs. BOE, and therefore denying him entry was a clear violation. -
Dr No Premiers
The first James Bond movie, based on the novel by Ian Fleming and directed by Terrence Young, it starred Sean Connery as the secret agent that inspired all future secret agents. -
Cuban Missile Crisis
Considered the peak of the Cold War, and the closest the world has ever been to nuclear war. Khrushchev had allowed missiles to be set up in Cuba (which Cuba desired as a deterrent to invasion, especially following the bay of pigs). US Spy planes confirmed that this was the case. Kennedy started a naval blockade of Cuba to prevent further armaments from being delivered. An agreement was eventually reached, the missiles removed (as well as US missiles in Turkey), and the threat averted. -
MLK's I Have a Dream Speech
A public speech by Martin Luther King Jr. given at the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. It was heard by hundreds of thousands of supporters at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC. It is considered among the most important speeches in American History, and the only known to nearly all school children (besides perhaps Lincoln's Gettysburg Address). -
John F Kennedy is Assassinated
During Kennedy's campaign through Texas, he visited Dallas. When his motorcade passed through Dealey Plaza Kennedy was shot by Lee Harvey Oswald from the Texas School Book Depository. -
The Beatles arrive in the United States
Though a success in their home country of England, it is possible the band was unprepared for the insanity that awaited them in the US. A truly ridiculous amount of fans welcomed them to our country in fanatic fashion. At the time the Beatles where famous for a pop-y catchy sound, but their style would change and improve after their initial huge success. -
The Beatles Appear on the Ed Sullivan Show
Here the Beatles made their first television appearance in American, drawing in 73 million viewers. -
The World's Fair
51 million people from 80 countries attended. It showed the days technology and attempted to promote a sense of prosperity and peace among nations. -
Gulf of Tonkin Incident
Also known as the USS Maddox Incident, was a confrontation which lead to the Vietnam. One real incident took place involving three North Vietnamese torpedo boats, and another which the NSA falsely claimed occurred on August 4. -
Lyndon B. Johnson Elected
Lyndon B. Johnson (Democrat) defeated Barry Goldwater (Republican) in the 45th presidential election. Johnson won the largest share of a popular vote (since 1820) with 61.1%. -
Malcolm X Assassinated
Malcolm X was assassinated in the Audubon Ballroom, NYC. He was shot by several Nation of Islam members, including Talmadge Hayer, while attempting to address the Organization of Afro-American Unity. -
Watts Race Riots
After Marquette Frye was pulled over for reckless driving a fight with the police broke out. This led to six days of civil unrest, and 4,000 California Army Naitonal Gaurdsman being deployed to suppress it. -
Star Trek Premiers
A show based on a future, not quite socialist humanity who deals with alien species in a mostly diplomatic manner. This very same show would go on to show things as the (unfortunately not arbitrary) first interracial kiss on television. -
San Francisco's Summer of Love
Hundreds of thousands of hippies and counter-culture figures assembled in Haight-Ashbury for a summer of music and hypothetically drugs. Many important groups of the time performed at various events. -
The first Superbowl
The Kansas City Chiefs played the Green Bay Packers in the first AFL-NFL World Championship game (only referred to as
Superbowl I retroactively). The game was played at the Los Angeles Memorial Museum, with the Packers taking home the victory. -
Muhammed Ali Refuses Military Service
Muhammad Ali, boxing champion, refuses to serve in the US Army for religious reasons (he converted to Islam in 1964, where previously he was Cassius Clay). This led to his heavyweight title being revoked. Ali was convicted of draft evasion, although he appealed and avoided prison. -
The Beatles Release Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
The album marked the Band's full transformation from simple pop-band to something more interesting. Though the band had experimented with various tech and unusual concepts before, this was cranked up to 11 in this new album. As evidenced just by the album cover it has a colorful psychedelic sound that pushed the limits of what good music could sound like. -
Monterrey Music Festival
A three day music festival held at the Monterey county fairgrounds. Groups who performed included The Jimi Hendrix Experience, Jefferson Airplane, The Who, and the Grateful Dead. -
Thurgood Marshal nominated to the Supreme Court
Following the retirement of justice Tom C. Clark president Lyndon B. Johnson nominated Marshal. He was later confirmed 69-11, and the first African-American justice in the history of the Supreme Court. -
Tet Offensive
Coordinated attack by North Vietnam on hundreds of cities and bases in the South. This was done in an attempt to cause rebellions in the South, as well as take the US out of the war. It was effective, and severely hurt the US war effort and morale, eventually leading to the victory of the North. -
Assassination of Martin Luther King Jr.
King, a minister and civil rights activist, was shot by James Earl Ray on the balcony of his room at the Lorraine Hotel in Memphis Tennessee, and died at St. Joseph's Hospital. Some believe that Ray was merely a red herring, and other forces (such as the US government) were truly behind the event. -
Robert Kennedy Assassinated
After winning the South Dakota and California presidential primaries he was shot by Sirhan Sirhan at the Ambassador Hotal in LA. -
1968 DNC Protests
Protesters of the Vietnam War gathered in Chicago with the aim of disrupting the Democratic National Convention which was being held in the International Amphitheater. The Youth International Party showed, including Abbie Hoffman. -
LSD declared illegal by the US government
For reasons that boggle the mind the serotonergic psychedelic compound LSD was made illegal by the US government, regardless of its complete lack of physiological toxicity and rarity of abuse. This merely had the effect of delaying scientific research, and all sorts of legal trouble for undeserving individuals. The maximum desirable dose (in the order of hundreds of micrograms) is orders of magnitude smaller than the projected LD50. -
Richard Nixon is elected
The 46th presidential election. Richard Nixon, a Republican and former vice president beat the Democrat nominee Hubert Humphrey. He went on to become the only US president ever to resign following the Watergate scandal. -
Stonewall Riots
A series of events involving LGBT activists surrounding the police raids of the Stonewall Inn of Greenwich Village, NYC. -
Moon Landing
The first attempt at such an enormous feat succeeded this day when the Apollo 11 Mission Culminated in Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin becoming the first men ever to walk on the moon, or any celestial body beyond earth. The footage of the event was broadcast in one of the most important televised events in history, and included Armstrong's famous quote: "One small step for man, one giant leap for Mankind". -
Manson Family Murders
Members of the "Manson Family" (including Tex Watson, Susan Atkins and Patricia Krenwinkle) murdered the pregnant Sharon Tate at her and her husband Roman Polanski's (though he was not present) home in Los Angeles. There is much confusion as to the motivation for the murders (including a bizarre supposed concept of Manson's about a coming race war). -
Woodstock
One of the most important events in popular music history. More than 400,000 people showed for "three days of peace and music". The event was planned for far fewer people, less than half who showed bought tickets. It took place on Max Yasgur's dairy farm. An incredible diversity of acts performed there despite the occasional rain. -
The Rolling Stones Host the Altamont Music Festival
A free music festival, held at the Altamont Speedway in California hosted by The Rolling Stones. Planned as a Woodstock of the west, it didn't turn out so nice. There were three accidental deaths, car theft, and violence such that the Grateful Dead never ended up performing.
