1960’s Timeline

  • Newport Jazz Festival

    Newport Jazz Festival

    Due to sold out tickets, violent incidents popped up all over the city, resulting in an early cancellation of the show and around 200 people arrested from police interaction.
  • Nixon-Kennedy Debates (1st on Television)

    Nixon-Kennedy Debates (1st on Television)

    The first presidential debate televised between Nixon and Kennedy that ended awfully for Nixon as Kennedy presented himself much better. The debates would become tradition moving forward.
  • The Assassination of John F. Kennedy

    The Assassination of John F. Kennedy

    One of the four major assassinations of the 60’s, Kennedy was shot by Lee Harvey Oswald during a motorcade, making Lyndon B. Johnson the replacement and shaking the world.
  • The Beatles appear for the first time on the Ed Sullivan Show

    The Beatles appear for the first time on the Ed Sullivan Show

    The Beatles had a large ticket request at 50k tickets and 73 million television viewers, a huge head-start to their impending popularity.
  • The Gulf of Tonkin Resolution

    The Gulf of Tonkin Resolution

    A resolution passed by the Senate that allowed military retaliation directed by the president without the need to declare war.
  • Operation Rolling Thunder

    Operation Rolling Thunder

    A long and enduring air attack on North Vietnam that was intended to demoralize the enemy and give morale to South Vietnam, it eventually failed and did not end as well as planned because of significant losses.
  • March on the Pentagon

    March on the Pentagon

    A protest of 50,000 people against the Vietnam War. They were met by army paratroopers and the protest remained peaceful.
  • My Lai Massacre

    My Lai Massacre

    A war crime during Vietnam acted out by American troops that killed and raped mostly women and children in the search for guerilla fighters.
  • Riots at the Chicago Democratic Convention

    Riots at the Chicago Democratic Convention

    An anti Vietnam War protest from about 10,000 people leading up to the Democratic National Convention, police got involved in brutal and violent ways.
  • Woodstock

    Woodstock

    A 3-day music and show festival with over 400,000 people at the event. It’s one of the biggest music festivals in history and displayed a variety of diversity.
  • Chicago 8 Trial

    Chicago 8 Trial

    The trial of the eight accused defendants who were believed to have incited the riot in Chicago at the Democratic National Convention, which led to controversy around justice as did many major events around the time period.
  • The Beatles Break Up

    The Beatles Break Up

    The Beatles were an extremely popular band through the 60’s and the incompatibility of the band mates led to destruction from within.
  • Kent State Protest

    Kent State Protest

    A protest primarily by college students to halt involvement in Vietnam. National Guard opened fire, killing 4 and wounding 9.
  • Roe vs. Wade

    Roe vs. Wade

    Supreme Court case that challenged state abortion laws and eventually was ruled that the constitution protected abortions.