The 1960s: American Pop Culture History

The 1960s were one of the most creative periods in modern man’s history. Whether it was due to experimentation with drugs or anger over the Vietnam War, the 1960s were an overwhelming decade.

The Assassinations of JFK and MLK shocked the US. The Beatles came across the pond and changed music forever.

Although there were several tragic setbacks, civil rights made an amazing amount of progress, eventually culminating in the passage of the Civil Rights Act in 1964, which made it illegal to discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.

Sex, love and rock & roll was a way of life. It was a way to cope with the frustration the public was feeling over politics and the U.S. government.

Protesters were everywhere — it was certainly a time of great social unrest. But through it all, some of the best art ever created by man was created in the 1960s and we wouldn’t trade it for the world. Or world peace… Maybe.

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In-Depth 1960s Profiles

1960s Fashion: Styles, Trends, Pictures & History »

Early 1960s fashion was more conservative. Late 1960s clothes were the exact opposite. Greaser, mod or hippie? Year-by-year timeline with over 50 pics.

Cars in the 1960s »

1960s cars could be the most stylish cars ever built, but power was even more important. Learn about the history of 1960s cars and browse over 150 pics.

Movies in the 1960s »

We have so much stuff to post, it is going to take quite some time. Movies in the 1960s were great. My favorite was probably To Kill A Mockingbird.

1960s TV Shows: What Did People Watch? »

The sixties gave us a number of legendary TV Shows. Research 1960s TV Shows with our historical timeline.

1960s Toys: What Did Kids Play With in the 1960s? »

The 1960s were a golden era in toy history. Research 1960s toys with our timeline and 100+ pictures of the most popular toys & games in the sixties.

1960s Music: What Songs Were The Most Popular? »

Popular 1960s music was some of the most inventive music ever made. We discuss the most famous artists & #1 songs from the Sixties right here.

1960s Sports: History, Facts, MVPs & Champions »

Sports in the 1960s were ruled by just a few. UCLA owned the NCAA. The Boston Celtics won 9 titles. The Yankees dynasty finally crumbled. Ali became king.

Unique 1960s Pictures

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1960s News Headlines

Yuri Gagarin becomes the first man to travel to space.

Harper Lee wrote the all-time great book To Kill A Mockingbird, published in 1960.

In 1961, Roger Maris breaks Babe Ruth’s single season home run record by clubbing 61 home runs for the New York Yankees.

In 1961, Joseph Heller published the world-renowned book titled Catch-22.

John F. Kennedy said, “Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country.”

In 1962, Wal-Mart opened its first store.

John Glenn became the first American to orbit the earth in 1962.

John F. Kennedy was assassinated in 1963 in Dallas.

On August 28, 1963, Martin Luther King, Jr. gave the powerful speech now commonly known as: “I have a dream.”

In 1963, Lamborghini was founded by Ferrico Lamb.

1964 witnessed the debut of the Ford Mustang, which would eventually become Ford’s flagship muscle car.

The Civil Rights Act, signed into law in 1964, outlawed discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.

On February 4, 1964, the Beatles captivated the nation on the Ed Sullivan show.

On January 11, 1964, the surgeon general reported that smoking causes lung cancer in men.

Peter Sellers played the character Dr. Strangelove in the 1964 classic film by the same name.

Julie Andrews won an Academy Award for Best Actress in 1964 for her portrayal of Mary Poppins.

On January 15, 1967, the Super Bowl was played for the first time.

At the 1968 Olympics, Bob Beamon broke the world long-jump record by an astounding 21 inches.

All-time great boxer Cassius Clay changes his name to Muhammad Ali.

In 1969, Neil Armstrong became the first human to walk on the moon.

1960s Statistics & Facts in the U.S.

Vital

U.S. Population: 177,830,000
– Urban/rural: 125/54
– Farm: 8.7%
Life Expectancy: Male (66.6), Female (73.1)
Births per 1,000: 23.7
Marriages per 1,000: 8.5
Divorces per 1,000: 2.2
Deaths per 1,000: 9.5
Deaths per 100,000:
– Heart: 522
– Cancer: 149
– Tuberculosis: 6
– Car accidents: 21.3

Economic

Unemployed: 3,852,000
GNP: $503.7 billion
Federal budget: $92.3 billion
National debt: $286.3 billion
Union membership: 17.5 million
Strikes: 3,333
Prime rate: 3.9%
Car sales: 6,674,200
Average salary: $4,743

Social

Homicides per 100,000: 4.7
Suicides per 100,000: 10.6
Labor force male/female ratio: 49/23
Social welfare: $52.3 billion
Public education: $15.6 billion
College Degrees
– Bachelors: Male (253,000), Female (157,000)
– Doctorates: Male (8,801), Female (1,028)
Attendance
– Movies (weekly): 40 million
– Baseball (annually): 20.3 million

Consumer

Consumer Price Index (if 1967 = 100): 88.7
Eggs: 58 cents per dozen
Milk: 26 cents per quart
Bread: 20 cents per loaf
Butter: 75 cents per pound
Bacon: 66 cents per pound
Round steak: $1.06 per pound
Oranges: 75 cents per dozen
Coffee: 75 cents per pound

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