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First televised Presidential debate
For the first time in U.S. history, a debate between major party presidential candidates John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon is shown on television. This allowed for way more people to be able to tune in and watch. -
SNCC formed
The Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee was the main channel of student commitment in the US to the civil rights movement during the 1960s. -
First airing of “The Flintstones”
The first animated series to hold a prime-time slot on television. It was originally broadcast on ABC. -
President Kennedy is Elected
John F. Kennedy (Democrat) ran against Richard Nixon (Republican nominee). Kennedy won by a threshold of 269 electoral votes. He become the 35th president of the United States. He was also the youngest to be elected into office. -
Russians send the first man into space
Yuri Gagarin was sent into space by a Vostok Rocket and became the first man in space. He landed safely back to earth due to the craft's automatic controls. -
Berlin Wall is constructed
A barrier that divided Germany from 1961- 1989. It was built by the German Democratic Republic to cut off West Berlin from surrounding the East Germany territory. -
Roger Maris of the Yankees breaks Babe Ruth’s single season home run record
In the New York Yankees' last regular-season game of 1961, Roger Maris hit his 61st home run. He tops former Yankee Babe Ruth who had 61. -
SDS releases its Port Huron statement
Students for a Democratic Society was a national student activist organization in the United States during the 1960s and was one of the principal representations of the New Left. ts ideas radicalized the approach that people took towards changing serious issues throughout the 1960s and onwards. -
Marilyn Monroe dies
Monroe was only 36 years old when she died. She died from a sleeping pill overdose. She was found in her home in Brentwood. California. -
James Meredith registers at Ole Miss
Meredith becomes the first African American to register at a racially segregated institution. His application is rejected and people begin to riot. This later leads to a court case. -
Cuban Missile Crisis
Direct confrontation between the United States and the USSR, has been the closest it has ever been to a nuclear war. It was a 13-day political and military standoff caused by the US attempting to liberate Cuba from communism. It ended with a deal the US promised to stay out of Cuba and remove its missiles from Turkey, the USSR agreed to remove its missiles from Cuba. -
“Dr. No” the first James Bond movie premiers
a 1962 spy film directed by Terence Young. It is based on the 1958 novel of the same name by Ian Fleming. Starring Sean Connery, Ursula Andress, Joseph Wiseman, and Jack Lord, it is the first film in the James Bond series and was adapted by Richard Maibaum, Johanna Harwood, and Berkely Mather. -
Dr. King’s “I Have A Dream” Speech
Delivered during the March on Washington. The speech called for civil and economic rights and the end of racism. -
John F Kennedy is Assassinated
Assassinated by Lee Harvey Oswald while driving through Dealy Plaza in downtown Dallas, Texas. He shot at Kennedy 4 times but only hit him 3 times. One bullet also hit Governer Connally. -
The Beatles arrive in the United States
Pan Am Yankee Clipper Flight 101 lands at Kennedy Airport from London. They were treated by thousands of happy fans. -
The Beatles appear on Ed Sullivan
Sullivan and his producers swiftly recognized that The Beatles were something monumental by the end of 1963. He made sure that their first live televised performance in the US would be on his show. -
New York World’s Fair begins
The fair held over 140 pavilions and 110 restaurants, representing 80 nations, 24 US states, and over 45 corporations with the goal and result of building exhibits or attractions at Flushing Meadows–Corona Park in Queens, New York City. -
Lyndon B Johnson defeats Barry Goldwater
Incumbent Democratic United States President Lyndon B. Johnson defeated Barry Goldwater, the Republican nominee. With 61.1% of the popular vote, Johnson won the largest share of the popular vote of any candidate since the largely uncontested 1820 election. -
Malcolm X assassinated
Malcolm X was assassinated at age 39as he was preparing to give a speech at the Audubon Ballroom in Manhattan. -
Watts race riots
This resulted in over 40 million dollars of property damage. This lasted for 6 days. The McCone Commission identified the root causes of the riots to be high unemployment, poor schools, and related inferior living conditions that were endured by African Americans in Watts. -
“Star Trek” TV show airs
Star Trek is a science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry which aired from September 8, 1966, through June 3, 1969. -
San Francisco “Summer of Love” begins
30,000 people gathered in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park to begin the "Summer of Love". It encompassed hippies gathering to encompass hippie music, hallucigenic drugs, antiwar, and free-love scene. -
First NFL Football Super Bowl
Green Bay Packers vs Kansas City Chiefs. It was held at Memorial Coliseum in LA. The packers won. -
Boxer Muhammed Ali refuses military service
When Ali arrived to be inducted in the United States Armed Forces, however, he refused, citing his religion forbade him from serving. The cost for his refusal would prove to be drastic: the stripping of his heavyweight title, a suspension from boxing, a $10,000 fine, and a five-year prison sentence. -
Beatles release Sgt. Pepper’s album
The 8th studio album of the Beatles. It spent 27 weeks in the number one spot on the Record Retailor chart in the United States. -
Thurgood Marshall nominated to the Supreme Court
A distinguished civil rights lawyer nominated by Lynden B. Johnson. The first African American justice to serve on the supreme court. -
Tet Offensive
A set of attacks by the North Viatnamese forces carried out the day of "tet" (Vietnamese lunar new year). This offensive used the element of surprise since It defied the gentlemen's agreement of taking off of fighting on the holiday. -
Martin Luther King Jr. assassinated
James Earl Ray shot Martin Luther King Jr. According to his family and friends he was an outspoken racist who informed them on his intent to kill Luther Jr. -
Robert Kennedy is assassinated
Robert F Kennedy is shot shortly after midnight at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles, California. Sirhan Bishara Sirhan was found guilty of the assassination. He is in prison for life and currently 77 years old. -
Protests at the 1968 Democratic National Convention
Protest activity against the Vietnam War took place prior to and during the 1968 Democratic National Convention. Hundreds were arrested or injured. -
LSD declared illegal by the U.S. government
LSD was declared a "Schedule I" substance, legally designating that the drug has a "high potential for abuse" and is without any "currently accepted medical use in treatment." It becomes removed from legal circulation in the country. -
Richard Nixon is Elected
Richard Nixon (Republican) beat Hubert Humphrey and George Wallace. This race consisted of many debates focused on the Civil Rights Movement. Nixon won the electoral vote by a 3:2 margin. -
American astronauts land on the moon
Neil Armstrong and Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin become the first humans to land on the moon. This was also the first time humans stepped foot on a different planetary body from the earth. The famous quote "That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind" was said by Neil Armstrong. -
Stonewall riots
A series of violent interactions between police and gay rights activists. This took place outside the Stonewall Inn in New York. -
Woodstock concert
A music festival that was held on a dairy farm in Bethel, NY. It is one of the most celebrated music festivals in history. There were lots of drugs involved including LSD. -
The Rolling Stones host the Altamont music festival
A free concert that was scheduled to include Santana; the Jefferson Airplane; Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young; and the Grateful Dead, all in support of the headlining Stones.