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An explosion aboard the USS Enterprise near Hawaii kills 25 people.
The USS ENTERPRISE was the Navy's first nuclear powered aircraft carrier and from 1961 to 1972 she was the biggest warship in the world. -
The Soviet Union launches Soyuz 5.
Soyuz 5 was a Soyuz spacecraft launched by the Soviet Union on January 15, 1969, which docked with Soyuz 4 in orbit. It was the first-ever docking of two manned spacecraft of any nation, and the first-ever transfer of crew from one space vehicle to another of any nation, the only time a transfer was accomplished with a space walk. -
Barbara Jo Rubin wins a United States thoroughbred horse race making history as the first woman to do so.
In 1969 Rubin was a member of the charter class of young women seeking work as professional jockeys—no small accomplishment in Thoroughbred racing, long known as the "sport of kings" and a male-only bastion. In the space of just one year of racing, Rubin accomplished several "firsts" and topped it off by becoming the first female jockey to retire from the track. Barbara Jo Rubin Biography - Horses—the Sure Cure, The Quest To Be The First, Into The Winner's Circle. -
Apollo 9 returns safely to Earth after testing the Lunar Module.
The Apollo program was designed to land humans on the Moon and bring them safely back to Earth. Six of the missions achieved this goal. Apollos 7 and 9 were Earth orbiting missions to test the Command and Lunar Modules, and did not return lunar data. Apollos 8 and 10 tested various components while orbiting the Moon, and returned photography of the lunar surface. -
Mariner 7 is launched.
Mariner 7 flew by Mars in early August, 1969. -
Vietnam War - Massive antiwar demonstrations are held in New York City, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Washington, D.C, and other cities around the United States.
The Vietnam War was a Cold War military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from November 1, 1955, to April 30, 1975 when Saigon fell. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of South Vietnam, supported by the United States and other capitalist nations. -
Charles de Gaulle resigns as President of France.
Charles André Joseph Marie de Gaulle was a French general and statesman who led the Free French Forces during World War II. He later founded the French Fifth Republic in 1958 and served as its first President from 1959 to 1969. -
Apollo 10 launches.
The purpose of the mission was to confirm all aspects of the lunar landing mission exactly as it would be performed, except for the actual landing. Additional objectives included verification of lunar module systems in the lunar environment, evaluation of mission-support performance for the combined spacecraft at lunar distance, and further refinement of the lunar gravitational potential. -
Stonewall riots in New York city mark the beginning of the modern gay rights era.
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Rolling Stones guitarist Brian Jones drowns in his swimming pool. The band plays a concert at Hyde Park, London two days later in his honor.
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band formed in April 1962 by guitarist and harmonica player Brian Jones, pianist Ian Stewart, vocalist Mick Jagger and guitarist Keith Richards. Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early lineup -
Apollo 11 launches from Cape Kennedy, Florida and will become the first manned space mission to land on the moon.
Apollo 11 was the first manned mission to land on the Moon. It was the fifth human spaceflight of the Apollo program, and the third human voyage to the moon. The first steps by humans on another planetary body were taken by Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin on July 20, 1969. -
Apollo 11 makes preparations for landing on the Moon.
The Apollo 11 space flight landed the first humans on Earth's Moon on July 20, 1969. The mission, carried out by the United States, is considered a major accomplishment in the history of exploration and represented a victory by the U.S. in the Cold War Space Race with the Soviet Union. -
The Beatles album Abbey Road is released in the UK.
The Beatles’ original 1973 compilations, 1962-1966 (‘Red’) and 1967-1970 (‘Blue’) have been digitally remastered for worldwide CD release on October 18. The first Beatles compilations to be released after the band’s 1970 disbandment, the popular ‘Red’ and ‘Blue’ collections each feature a selection of singles and album tracks written by the band’s members. -
Hundreds of thousands of people take part in National Moratorium antiwar demonstrations across the United States.
The first moratorium on Vietnam took place in America. Hundreds of thousands of people stopped work for the day and marched in the streets to protest American involvement in the war. -
Anti-war protesters in Washington, DC stage a symbolic "March Against Death."
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In Washington, DC, 250,000-500,000 protesters staged a peaceful demonstration against the war.
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The Rolling Stones release the classic album Let It Bleed.
Let It Bleed is the eighth album by English rock band The Rolling Stones, released in December 1969 by Decca Records in the United Kingdom and London Records in the United States. Released shortly after the band's 1969 American Tour, it is the follow up to 1968's Beggars Banquet and the last album by the band to feature Brian Jones. -
The first draft lottery in the United States is held since World War II.
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Curt Flood writes to Bowie K. Kuhn, the Commissioner of Baseball, asking to be declared a free agent
