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Led Zeppelin

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Led Zeppelin | Biography & History | AllMusic

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Find Led Zeppelin biography and history on AllMusic - What the Beatles were to the '60s, Led Zeppelin...

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October 3, 1960

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The Andy Griffith Show (TV Series 1960–1968) ⭐ 8.4 | Comedy, Family

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November 8, 1960
JFK was elected into office as president of the United States.

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This timeline offers a sample of newsworthy happenings from the 1960s. The events used in this interactive timeline were chosen on the basis of importance at the time, and continuing significance for American culture at the start of the 21st century.

Launch the Flash Version "

War & Peace

Viet Cong Emerge

An armed coalition of communists and insurgents emerge in South Vietnam.

U.S. Buildup Begins

White Paper advises increased U.S. presence in Vietnam.

U.S. Will Fire Back

Kennedy declares U.S. advisers in 'Nam will defend themselves.

$2 Billion Wasted

Kennedy hears from Senate leader after Saigon trip to see outcome of U.S. aid.

U.S. Gets Tough

New in office, President Johnson pushes for stiffer policies on Vietnam.

Coup in Saigon

South Vietnam military sets up third government in three months.

Gulf of Tonkin

The USS Maddox is on spy patrol 30 miles off the coast of Vietnam when it reports an attack by three enemy vessels. Another U.S. ship reports an attack on Aug 4. (Later inquiries will cast doubt on both reports.) On Aug 7, Congress passes the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, allowing Pres. Johnson to wage war against North Vietnam without a formal Declaration of War.

U.S. Navy Arrives

After North Vietnam goes into Laos, U.S. moves 2 carriers offshore.

Operation "Rolling Thunder" Begins

Johnson approves Rolling Thunder in February, believing that a program of limited bombing in North Vietnam will deter support for Vietcong. Rolling Thunder continues for three years and eight months, involving 305,380 raids and 634,000 tons of bombs. Results include: 818 pilots killed and hundreds more captured; 182,000 civilians killed in North Vietnam.

First Anti-Vietnam War Teach-In

Anti-war faculty members and the publicize and protest U.S. involvement in Vietnam. About 3,000 attend.

U.S. Goes on the Offensive

U.S. troops in Vietnam get permission to go on the offensive.

Martin Luther King Opposes War

Breaking with the President, Martin Luther King announces his opposition to the war.

385,300 U.S. Troops in 'Nam

More troops are on their way: 33,000 are stationed in Thailand; 60,000 sail offshore.

Protesters March to U.N.

400,000 march to U.N. building and hear speeches by Martin Luther King and Dr. Benjamin Spock.

March to Pentagon

Norman Mailer joins march to Pentagon; He recounts events in Armies of the Night for which he earns a Pulitzer.

Secretary of Defense Resigns

Robert McNamara is ousted following months of increasing conflict with the President and military leaders. removal is precipitated by private communications with the President, and public remarks questioning Johnson's policies. Just weeks before, McNamara had testified in a Senate hearing that U.S. bombing raids against North Vietnam were not achieving their objectives, movement of supplies to South Vietnam had not been reduced, and that neither the economy nor the morale of the North Vietnamese had been broken.

Tet Offensive Launched by Vietcong

To the Vietnamese, Tet is a culturally important celebration of the Lunar New Year. U.S. planners and troops are unprepared when the North Vietnamese and Vietcong use festivities as cover, surging into Saigon and other key cities. Within days, U.S. forces retake most areas; an intense battle for Hue rages for 26 days. Retaking the area, U.S. troops discover mass graves containing the bodies of thousands of people who had been executed during the Communist occupation during and after Tet. The Offensive is a military disaster for the guerillas, with 37,000 dead. The U.S. lost 2,500 men, undermining public support for the war and giving the Vietcong a political victory.

Cronkite Urges Negotiations to End War

CBS news anchor Walter Cronkite, known as America's "most-trusted man," files a special report from Vietnam. He experiences intensive combat in the aftermath of the Tet Offensive. Departing from accepted news style, Cronkite shares his personal feelings, telling viewers he is "more certain than ever that the bloody experience of Vietnam is to end in a stalemate." Insiders see this as a key factor in Johnson's decision to offer negotiations and not seek re-election in '68.

My Lai Massacre

Charlie Company, 11th Brigade, is on a "search and destroy" mission in the hamlet of My Lai. Something goes horribly wrong, resulting in violent death for hundreds of unarmed civilians, including women, children, and the elderly. After one and a half years, the officer at My Lai, Lt. William Calley, is brought up on murder charges. News of atrocities at My Lai doesn't reach public media until November 1969. In March 1971, Calley is convicted and sentenced to life; he is paroled in September 1975 after serving three and a half years.

Chicago 7 Trial Begins

Charges are tied to rioting at '68 chicago convention. The defendants use the proceedings to put the War on trial.

Two Million Take Part in Peace Moratorium

A one-day nationwide action, the Peace Moratorium is the largest demonstration in U.S. history. Protestors include many first-time activists. Events include religious services, street rallies, public meetings, school seminars, and marches. Participants wear black armbands to signify opposition to the war and honor the dead. Washington, D.C., a natural focal point, draws 250,000 demonstrators.

Politics

U2 Plane Shot Down

Soviet Russia shoots down U.S. spy plane. Pilot Francis Gary Powers is detained for two years.

Students Protest HUAC Tactics

Students and teachers organize a protest the powerful () in San Francisco. Police use fire hoses and clubs to remove demonstrators, injuring and arresting many.

First Televised Presidential Debate Airs

The debate between presidential candidates Kennedy and Nixon is broadcast nationally on all TV networks (only three networks exist in 1960), and on network radio. It is a Monday evening, and 70 million viewers are watching. On TV, Nixon is visibly pale and badly attired, while Kennedy appears tan and relaxed. Political campaigning is suddenly a new ballgame, and image can beat substance.

Kennedy Elected

John F. Kennedy wins presidency in tightest election since 1884.

Bay of Pigs: Failed Invasion of Cuba

CIA-backed Cuban exiles launch a failed attempt to remove Fidel Castro from power. An international embarrassment, the episode puts Kennedy's leadership in question.

U.S. Denies Soviet Control of Space

The battle for technological superiority is a central theme in the Cold War between the U.S. and Russia -- and space technology is especially valuable because of military applications such as nuclear missile systems. On April 12, 1961, the Soviets put the first man in space. In response, Kennedy delivers a televised speech on May 25, announcing a new vision for the U.S. in space. His goal is to land a man on the moon before the end of the decade, and before the Soviets do. NASA is under pressure to produce rapid progress in the space program. On February 20, 1962, NASA's first effort, Friendship 7, carries astronaut John Glenn around Earth three times.

Kennedy Warns of Possible Nuclear Attack

President Kennedy advises citizens to be ready for nuclear attack, and build family bomb shelters.

USSR Tests Hydrogen Bomb

The Soviet Union fires a 50-megaton hydrogen bomb, the biggest explosion in history.

First SDS Convention

The convention yields a '60s student manifesto, the Port Huron Statement: Agenda for a Generation.

Cuban Missile Crisis

Photos by U.S. spy planes reveal the Soviets are positioning camouflaged nuclear missiles in Cuba. Kennedy orders a naval blockade of Cuba to prevent delivery of more missiles. The world holds its breath during a week of tense negotiations to resolve the standoff. The crisis ends when Russia agrees to remove the Cuban missiles, in exchange for the U.S. removing similar missiles from Turkey. It was a week that brought the world to the brink of mutual nuclear annihilation, and spurred one of the greatest quotes of the Cold War, when Secretary of State Dean Rusk observed, "We were eyeball to eyeball, and the other guy just blinked."

Nixon Loses Governor's Race

Nixon blames his California defeat on the media, saying, "You won't have Nixon to kick around anymore, because, gentlemen, this is my last press conference."

"Hot-Line" Phones Installed

A pari of "hot line" phones are installed in the Oval Office and Kremlin, a direct result of the prior year's crisis in Cuba.

Kennedy Assassinated

President John F. Kennedy is shot and killed in Dallas, Texas. Lyndon Johnson is quick sworn in as President.

Democrats Hire Ad Agency

Democrats hire a top-10 ad agency for the '64 campaign. Agency produces a number of hard-hitting spots, including the "Daisy Ad".

Johnson Defeats Goldwater

Receiving more than 60 percent of the popular vote, incumbent Democrat Lyndon Johnson easily defeats Republican Barry Goldwater. During the campaign, Goldwater is an overt hawk regarding the war in Vietnam, while Johnson takes a sharply contrasting stance, suggesting de-escalation. In fact, the war escalates dramatically during the next 4 years of Johnson's administration.

Johnson Signs Medicare Bill

The legislation establishes a health program for the elderly.

Voting Rights Act

The legislation ends discrimination at the polls.

Edward Brook Elected

The Republican from Massachusetts becomes the first African American Senator in 85 years.

Thurgood Marshall Confirmed

The U.S. Senate confirms Thurgood Marshall to the becomes first African American to sit on the U.S. supreme court.

Robert Kennedy Asassinated

Senator Robert Kennedy dies of gunshot wounds in Los Angeles, a day after winning the California Presidential primary.

Shirley Chisholm Elected to Congress

Shirley becomes first African American woman elected to Congress.

Violence Scars Convention in Chicago

Turmoil and Robert Kennedy's death push the party toward chaos, while anti-war demonstrators are beaten by police. Prominent activists are charged with inciting the riots.

Richard Nixon Wins Presidency

Running on a platform of "law and order," Republican Richard Nixon and running mate Spiro Agnew narrowly defeat incumbent Vice President Hubert Humphrey. Nixon receives 43.4% of the popular vote, just seven-tenths of 1% more than Humphrey. Third-party segregationist candidate George Wallace receives about 15 percent of the popular vote. Nixon wins a second term in 1972, and resigns from office in 1974.

SALT I Negotiations Begin

The Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT) begin negotiations to curb nuclear capabilities of U.S. and USSR.

Pop Culture

March 23, 1960

Elvis Leaves Army

Sergeant Elvis Presley receives honorable discharge after two years in the Army.

First LASER is Demonstrated

Physicist Theodore Maiman uses a core of man-made ruby to create the first successful LASER (an acronym for Light Amplification by the Stimulated Emission of Radiation). The invention has an immediate effect on pop culture, heavily promoted in science fiction books and movies. Inspired by the laser, scientists immediately begin work on fiber-optics technology. Four decades later, lasers are used as precision surgical tools and measurement devices, and also appear in everyday objects such as laser printers, or compact disc and DVD players.

"The Pill" is Born

Here is the first drug developed for social rather than medicinal purposes. At first, the Pill is only available to married women, but American culture rapidly adopts the new contraceptive choice. By 1965, over five million American women are on the Pill, even though many states still have laws prohibiting prescriptions for unmarried women and minors. The Pill does not cause the sexual revolution, but certainly enables it. The Pill also brings contraception out of the bedroom and into the living room. It becomes a common theme of magazine articles and books - and even co-stars with David Niven and Deborah Kerr in a 1968 movie: Prudence and the Pill.

Dylan's First Public Performance

Bob Dylan appears at Gerde's Folk City in his first billed performance.

TV Called A "Vast Wasteland"

In a speech to the National Association of Broadcasters, Newton Minow, head of the FCC, criticizes broadcasters for not doing more to serve the public interest.

Ken Kesey Publishes "Cuckoo's Nest"

One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest is a grim satire is set among the patients and workers in a mental institution.

Marilyn Monroe Dies

Hollywood icon Marilyn Monroe, 36, is found dead in her bedroom.

First Artificial Heart Implanted

Dr. Michael E. De Bakey implants artificial heart in human for first time at a Houston hospital. The Patient survives for only four days.

Vatican II Begins

Pope John XXIII opens Vatican II. The council holds four sessions and closes Dec. 8, 1965.

Smoking "Hazardous To Your Health"

The first Surgeon General's Report on Smoking and Health is a landmark document, contradicting decades of tobacco advertising that suggest healthful benefits. The report contains powerful material, and intentionally leaves much to speculation. It is released on a Saturday morning to deter a knee-jerk reaction on Wall Street. Acting voluntarily, The New Yorker and other leading magazines start to refuse tobacco ads. Within months, Congress has passed the Federal Cigarette Labeling and Advertising Act of 1965, requiring health warnings on packages and banning ads on broadcast media.

Beatles Appear on Sullivan Show

The Beatles [Hyperlink To Newsmakers] make two appearances on Ed Sullivan Show. Over 70 million people watch each show.

Nader Examines Auto Industry

Ralph Nader's book, Unsafe At Any Speed, questions motives of the auto industry.

The "Hippie" Comes Into Being

Michael Fallen starts a series of stories for the San Francisco Examiner, introducing the word "hippie" to readers. Fallen's articles describe the migration of beatniks from North Beach to Haight-Ashbury in search of cheaper rents, some popular hippie hangouts such as the notorious Blue Unicorn, and the generally bohemian lifestyle of the beatnik/hippie community. Fallen's articles are widely read, but "hippie" doesn't appear in mainstream language for two more years.

Cold War Satire Premiers

The film The Russians Are Coming, The Russians Are Coming, tells the story of the comic chaos which ensues when a Soviet submarine runs aground near a small New England town.

Star Trek Debuts

For next three years, science fiction program goes where no TV series has gone before.

First Super Bowl

Forty million TV viewers watch the Green Bay Packers beat the Kansas City Chiefs.

Summer of Love

Usually this description refers to 1967, in and around San Francisco when the "hippie movement" was in full flower. Particularly during the summer months, thousands upon thousands of young people flocked to the Haight-Ashbury to take part in a somewhat pale imitation of the true hippie experience. Many were drawn by the gentle lyrics of a song penned by John Phillips, member of The Mamas & the Papas. Phillips' song San Francisco (written in anticipation of the Monterey Pop Festival in June) romanticizes the era and atmosphere. Scott McKenzie's cover-version of the song is on the airwaves by May -- just in time for summer vacation.

If you're going to San Francisco,
be sure to wear some flowers in your hair...
If you come to San Francisco,
Summertime will be a love-in there.

Rolling Stone Magazine Premiers

The first issue of Rolling Stone, a new magazine devoted to music and popular culture, debuts featuring John Lennon on the cover.

Judi Ford is Crowned Miss America

Telecasts of the Miss America Pageant are among the most popular TV shows of the late '60s, regularly capturing two-thirds of the audience. Feminists realize this popularity means access to national media. In 1968, feminist protestors demonstrate on the Boardwalk outside the Pageant, crown a sheep, and throw symbols of female restraint into a "Freedom Trash Can." Media attention is immediate and generally positive, encouraging protestors to return in subsequent years. In the same city on the same day, the first Miss Black America Contest is held to protest the exclusively "white" Miss America Pageant. In the wake of these protests, Pepsi-Cola withdraws sponsorship of the Miss America Pageant, saying it no longer represents the values of American society.

Judy Garland Dies

The actress is killed by an overdose at age 47. Over 20,000 mourners attend her funeral.

One Small Step for Man

Along with Walter Cronkite, over half a billion people watch as the Apollo 11 lander settles on the lunar surface at 4:19 PM, EDT. News anchor Cronkite is almost speechless, exclaiming, "Man on the moon...oh, boy!" Six hours later, people are still riveted to the images from space as Neil Armstrong gently sets foot onto the powdery surface of the Moon at 10:56 PM. Buzz Aldrin also walks on the Moon, while the third member of the mission, Michael Collins, remains in orbit aboard the command module.

Woodstock: Three Days of Peace, Music & Love

An estimated audience of over 400,000 people gather for three days of music near Bethel, NY, swarming across the pastures of Max Yasgur's dairy farm. The festival is the brainchild of four men under age 26 (including one with a multimillion-dollar trust fund). Only 186,000 tickets are sold, so around 200,000 people are expected - but the amazing lineup of bands and musicians draws many more. Fences are pushed over and tickets become pointless. On opening night, sponsors declare free admission to all, and the word spreads like wildfire. Police estimate a million more people trying to reach Woodstock are stuck in traffic jams up to 50 miles away. In rain and mud, thousands listen to Janis Joplin, The Who, Canned Heat, the Grateful Dead, Crosby Stills Nash & Young, and Country Joe & The Fish. On the last morning, guitarist Jimi Hendrix wakes the crowd with a riveting solo version of the national anthem. The final cost is $2.4 million. A film of the concert is released the following year.

First E-mail Message

The first computer transmission is carried by ARPANET at 10:30 PM on October 29 from a host computer at UCLA to another host computer at Stanford.

Sesame Street Debuts

Program is first broadcast on NET, predecessor to PBS.

Revolutions

First Sit-In Protests

A group of students launch protests against segregation at a "Whites only" lunch counter of the Woolworth store in Greensboro, NC.

SNCC Founded

In Raleigh, N.C., African American college students create the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) to give young blacks a stronger role in the civil rights movement.

"Freedom Riders" Leave D.C.

An interracial group of protesters board buses and travel to the South to test President Kennedy's commitment to civil rights.

Ban-The-Bomb Protests

Anti-Nuclear Activists coordinate worldwide protests against nuclear weapons.

Silent Spring Published

Rachel Carson's book makes case for the urgent need to protect the environment.

James Meredith Registers at "Ole Miss"

On Sept 20, with the support a Supreme Court ruling, James Meredith arrives at the Univ. of Mississippi in Oxford, intending to enroll as the school's first black student. The state Governor physically blocks Meredith's progress on Sept 20, and again Sept 25. Talks between the White House and the Governor fail to produce a solution. The Kennedy administration orders federal marshals to Oxford. On Sept 30, rioting kills two students, and wounds 160 marshals. The next morning, Meredith officially registers as a transfer student; he graduates in 1963. Bob Dylan writes Oxford Town about Meredith's experiences.

The Feminine Mystique Published

Betty Friedan launches the modern feminist movement with her critique of the role of women in society.

Gloria Steinem Writes Playboy Bunny Article

As a freelancer for Show magazine, she writes an infamous undercover expose about harassment and injustices while pretending to be a Playboy bunny.

"I Have A Dream..."

During the Civil Rights March on Washington, Martin Luther King Jr. delivers one of his most impassioned and memorable speeches to an audience of 250,000. Speaking in front of the Lincoln Memorial, King sets aside his prepared notes to describe his vision of an nation that will "rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: 'We hold these truths to be self-evident; that all men are created equal.'" Later this year, King is named TIME's Person of the Year.

Freedom Summer Begins With Murder

The SNCC organizes Freedom Summer to increase voter registration and build a grassroots political party in Mississippi. Three young activists disappear on June 22: Andrew Goodman, Michael Schwerner, and James Chaney. Their bodies are found on August 4, buried in an earthen dam. Investigation results in 21 arrests, and conspiracy convictions of seven Ku Klux Klan members in October 1967. Exactly 41 years after the murders, on June 22, 2005, Edgar Ray Killen is convicted on three counts of manslaughter for masterminding the killings.

Civil Rights Act

Legislation outlaws discrimination on basis of race, color, religion, sex or national origin.

MLK Awarded Nobel Prize

Martin Luther King Jr. is awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

Malcolm X Assassinated

The Nation of Islam leader is killed during while delivering a speech in Manhattan's Audubon Ballroom.

Watts Race Riots

Six days of rage and riots in Los Angeles leave 34 dead and $200 million in damages.

Stokely Carmichael Takes Over at SNCC

Soon after taking charge at the SNCC Carmichael rejects nonviolence and invokes "Black Power".

NOW is Born

The National Organization for Women () is founded with the stated purpose of bringing "women into full participation in the mainstream of American society."

Black Panther Party Founded

Bobby Seale and Huey Newton found the Black Panthers in Oakland, CA. In stark contrast to the nonviolence endorsed by civil rights activists, the militant Black Panthers approve the use of violence for defense. The Black Panthers gain notoriety for patrolling streets in black berets and jackets, heavily armed with weapons. Their doctrine of self-determination and strength initially draws thousands of converts.

Abbie Hoffman Protest at Stock Exchange

Abbie Hoffman creates chaos on floor of the New York Stock Exchange by tossing (fake) currency from the gallery.

SSFU Student Strike

Five-month student strike begins at San Francisco University. The protests result in the creation of the nation's first ethnic studies program.

Wave of Campus Uprisings rolls over U.S.

Weeks of violent student uprisings begin with an extended student strike at U.C. Berkeley, and continue with takeovers and sit-ins at University of Massachusetts, Howard University, and Penn State.

Stonewall Riots

Judy Garland's funeral attracts gay mourners to the Stonewall Tavern in New York. A melee with police breaks out when someone resists arrest, launching the Gay Liberation Movement.

Native Americans Occupy Alcatraz

The protesters fail to gain title to the island, but inspire a native movement.

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The Sixties . Timeline . Text Version | PBS

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This timeline offers a sample of newsworthy happenings from the 1960s. The events used in this interactive timeline were chosen on the basis of importance at the time, and continuing significance for American culture at the start of the 21st century.

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April 15, 1967

Protesters March to U.N.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
This timeline offers a sample of newsworthy happenings from the 1960s. The events used in this interactive timeline were chosen on the basis of importance at the time, and continuing significance for American culture at the start of the 21st century.

Launch the Flash Version "

War & Peace

Viet Cong Emerge

An armed coalition of communists and insurgents emerge in South Vietnam.

U.S. Buildup Begins

White Paper advises increased U.S. presence in Vietnam.

U.S. Will Fire Back

Kennedy declares U.S. advisers in 'Nam will defend themselves.

$2 Billion Wasted

Kennedy hears from Senate leader after Saigon trip to see outcome of U.S. aid.

U.S. Gets Tough

New in office, President Johnson pushes for stiffer policies on Vietnam.

Coup in Saigon

South Vietnam military sets up third government in three months.

Gulf of Tonkin

The USS Maddox is on spy patrol 30 miles off the coast of Vietnam when it reports an attack by three enemy vessels. Another U.S. ship reports an attack on Aug 4. (Later inquiries will cast doubt on both reports.) On Aug 7, Congress passes the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, allowing Pres. Johnson to wage war against North Vietnam without a formal Declaration of War.

U.S. Navy Arrives

After North Vietnam goes into Laos, U.S. moves 2 carriers offshore.

Operation "Rolling Thunder" Begins

Johnson approves Rolling Thunder in February, believing that a program of limited bombing in North Vietnam will deter support for Vietcong. Rolling Thunder continues for three years and eight months, involving 305,380 raids and 634,000 tons of bombs. Results include: 818 pilots killed and hundreds more captured; 182,000 civilians killed in North Vietnam.

First Anti-Vietnam War Teach-In

Anti-war faculty members and the publicize and protest U.S. involvement in Vietnam. About 3,000 attend.

U.S. Goes on the Offensive

U.S. troops in Vietnam get permission to go on the offensive.

Martin Luther King Opposes War

Breaking with the President, Martin Luther King announces his opposition to the war.

385,300 U.S. Troops in 'Nam

More troops are on their way: 33,000 are stationed in Thailand; 60,000 sail offshore.

Protesters March to U.N.

400,000 march to U.N. building and hear speeches by Martin Luther King and Dr. Benjamin Spock.

March to Pentagon

Norman Mailer joins march to Pentagon; He recounts events in Armies of the Night for which he earns a Pulitzer.

Secretary of Defense Resigns

Robert McNamara is ousted following months of increasing conflict with the President and military leaders. removal is precipitated by private communications with the President, and public remarks questioning Johnson's policies. Just weeks before, McNamara had testified in a Senate hearing that U.S. bombing raids against North Vietnam were not achieving their objectives, movement of supplies to South Vietnam had not been reduced, and that neither the economy nor the morale of the North Vietnamese had been broken.

Tet Offensive Launched by Vietcong

To the Vietnamese, Tet is a culturally important celebration of the Lunar New Year. U.S. planners and troops are unprepared when the North Vietnamese and Vietcong use festivities as cover, surging into Saigon and other key cities. Within days, U.S. forces retake most areas; an intense battle for Hue rages for 26 days. Retaking the area, U.S. troops discover mass graves containing the bodies of thousands of people who had been executed during the Communist occupation during and after Tet. The Offensive is a military disaster for the guerillas, with 37,000 dead. The U.S. lost 2,500 men, undermining public support for the war and giving the Vietcong a political victory.

Cronkite Urges Negotiations to End War

CBS news anchor Walter Cronkite, known as America's "most-trusted man," files a special report from Vietnam. He experiences intensive combat in the aftermath of the Tet Offensive. Departing from accepted news style, Cronkite shares his personal feelings, telling viewers he is "more certain than ever that the bloody experience of Vietnam is to end in a stalemate." Insiders see this as a key factor in Johnson's decision to offer negotiations and not seek re-election in '68.

My Lai Massacre

Charlie Company, 11th Brigade, is on a "search and destroy" mission in the hamlet of My Lai. Something goes horribly wrong, resulting in violent death for hundreds of unarmed civilians, including women, children, and the elderly. After one and a half years, the officer at My Lai, Lt. William Calley, is brought up on murder charges. News of atrocities at My Lai doesn't reach public media until November 1969. In March 1971, Calley is convicted and sentenced to life; he is paroled in September 1975 after serving three and a half years.

Chicago 7 Trial Begins

Charges are tied to rioting at '68 chicago convention. The defendants use the proceedings to put the War on trial.

Two Million Take Part in Peace Moratorium

A one-day nationwide action, the Peace Moratorium is the largest demonstration in U.S. history. Protestors include many first-time activists. Events include religious services, street rallies, public meetings, school seminars, and marches. Participants wear black armbands to signify opposition to the war and honor the dead. Washington, D.C., a natural focal point, draws 250,000 demonstrators.

Politics

U2 Plane Shot Down

Soviet Russia shoots down U.S. spy plane. Pilot Francis Gary Powers is detained for two years.

Students Protest HUAC Tactics

Students and teachers organize a protest the powerful () in San Francisco. Police use fire hoses and clubs to remove demonstrators, injuring and arresting many.

First Televised Presidential Debate Airs

The debate between presidential candidates Kennedy and Nixon is broadcast nationally on all TV networks (only three networks exist in 1960), and on network radio. It is a Monday evening, and 70 million viewers are watching. On TV, Nixon is visibly pale and badly attired, while Kennedy appears tan and relaxed. Political campaigning is suddenly a new ballgame, and image can beat substance.

Kennedy Elected

John F. Kennedy wins presidency in tightest election since 1884.

Bay of Pigs: Failed Invasion of Cuba

CIA-backed Cuban exiles launch a failed attempt to remove Fidel Castro from power. An international embarrassment, the episode puts Kennedy's leadership in question.

U.S. Denies Soviet Control of Space

The battle for technological superiority is a central theme in the Cold War between the U.S. and Russia -- and space technology is especially valuable because of military applications such as nuclear missile systems. On April 12, 1961, the Soviets put the first man in space. In response, Kennedy delivers a televised speech on May 25, announcing a new vision for the U.S. in space. His goal is to land a man on the moon before the end of the decade, and before the Soviets do. NASA is under pressure to produce rapid progress in the space program. On February 20, 1962, NASA's first effort, Friendship 7, carries astronaut John Glenn around Earth three times.

Kennedy Warns of Possible Nuclear Attack

President Kennedy advises citizens to be ready for nuclear attack, and build family bomb shelters.

USSR Tests Hydrogen Bomb

The Soviet Union fires a 50-megaton hydrogen bomb, the biggest explosion in history.

First SDS Convention

The convention yields a '60s student manifesto, the Port Huron Statement: Agenda for a Generation.

Cuban Missile Crisis

Photos by U.S. spy planes reveal the Soviets are positioning camouflaged nuclear missiles in Cuba. Kennedy orders a naval blockade of Cuba to prevent delivery of more missiles. The world holds its breath during a week of tense negotiations to resolve the standoff. The crisis ends when Russia agrees to remove the Cuban missiles, in exchange for the U.S. removing similar missiles from Turkey. It was a week that brought the world to the brink of mutual nuclear annihilation, and spurred one of the greatest quotes of the Cold War, when Secretary of State Dean Rusk observed, "We were eyeball to eyeball, and the other guy just blinked."

Nixon Loses Governor's Race

Nixon blames his California defeat on the media, saying, "You won't have Nixon to kick around anymore, because, gentlemen, this is my last press conference."

"Hot-Line" Phones Installed

A pari of "hot line" phones are installed in the Oval Office and Kremlin, a direct result of the prior year's crisis in Cuba.

Kennedy Assassinated

President John F. Kennedy is shot and killed in Dallas, Texas. Lyndon Johnson is quick sworn in as President.

Democrats Hire Ad Agency

Democrats hire a top-10 ad agency for the '64 campaign. Agency produces a number of hard-hitting spots, including the "Daisy Ad".

Johnson Defeats Goldwater

Receiving more than 60 percent of the popular vote, incumbent Democrat Lyndon Johnson easily defeats Republican Barry Goldwater. During the campaign, Goldwater is an overt hawk regarding the war in Vietnam, while Johnson takes a sharply contrasting stance, suggesting de-escalation. In fact, the war escalates dramatically during the next 4 years of Johnson's administration.

Johnson Signs Medicare Bill

The legislation establishes a health program for the elderly.

Voting Rights Act

The legislation ends discrimination at the polls.

Edward Brook Elected

The Republican from Massachusetts becomes the first African American Senator in 85 years.

Thurgood Marshall Confirmed

The U.S. Senate confirms Thurgood Marshall to the becomes first African American to sit on the U.S. supreme court.

Robert Kennedy Asassinated

Senator Robert Kennedy dies of gunshot wounds in Los Angeles, a day after winning the California Presidential primary.

Shirley Chisholm Elected to Congress

Shirley becomes first African American woman elected to Congress.

Violence Scars Convention in Chicago

Turmoil and Robert Kennedy's death push the party toward chaos, while anti-war demonstrators are beaten by police. Prominent activists are charged with inciting the riots.

Richard Nixon Wins Presidency

Running on a platform of "law and order," Republican Richard Nixon and running mate Spiro Agnew narrowly defeat incumbent Vice President Hubert Humphrey. Nixon receives 43.4% of the popular vote, just seven-tenths of 1% more than Humphrey. Third-party segregationist candidate George Wallace receives about 15 percent of the popular vote. Nixon wins a second term in 1972, and resigns from office in 1974.

SALT I Negotiations Begin

The Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT) begin negotiations to curb nuclear capabilities of U.S. and USSR.

Pop Culture

March 23, 1960

Elvis Leaves Army

Sergeant Elvis Presley receives honorable discharge after two years in the Army.

First LASER is Demonstrated

Physicist Theodore Maiman uses a core of man-made ruby to create the first successful LASER (an acronym for Light Amplification by the Stimulated Emission of Radiation). The invention has an immediate effect on pop culture, heavily promoted in science fiction books and movies. Inspired by the laser, scientists immediately begin work on fiber-optics technology. Four decades later, lasers are used as precision surgical tools and measurement devices, and also appear in everyday objects such as laser printers, or compact disc and DVD players.

"The Pill" is Born

Here is the first drug developed for social rather than medicinal purposes. At first, the Pill is only available to married women, but American culture rapidly adopts the new contraceptive choice. By 1965, over five million American women are on the Pill, even though many states still have laws prohibiting prescriptions for unmarried women and minors. The Pill does not cause the sexual revolution, but certainly enables it. The Pill also brings contraception out of the bedroom and into the living room. It becomes a common theme of magazine articles and books - and even co-stars with David Niven and Deborah Kerr in a 1968 movie: Prudence and the Pill.

Dylan's First Public Performance

Bob Dylan appears at Gerde's Folk City in his first billed performance.

TV Called A "Vast Wasteland"

In a speech to the National Association of Broadcasters, Newton Minow, head of the FCC, criticizes broadcasters for not doing more to serve the public interest.

Ken Kesey Publishes "Cuckoo's Nest"

One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest is a grim satire is set among the patients and workers in a mental institution.

Marilyn Monroe Dies

Hollywood icon Marilyn Monroe, 36, is found dead in her bedroom.

First Artificial Heart Implanted

Dr. Michael E. De Bakey implants artificial heart in human for first time at a Houston hospital. The Patient survives for only four days.

Vatican II Begins

Pope John XXIII opens Vatican II. The council holds four sessions and closes Dec. 8, 1965.

Smoking "Hazardous To Your Health"

The first Surgeon General's Report on Smoking and Health is a landmark document, contradicting decades of tobacco advertising that suggest healthful benefits. The report contains powerful material, and intentionally leaves much to speculation. It is released on a Saturday morning to deter a knee-jerk reaction on Wall Street. Acting voluntarily, The New Yorker and other leading magazines start to refuse tobacco ads. Within months, Congress has passed the Federal Cigarette Labeling and Advertising Act of 1965, requiring health warnings on packages and banning ads on broadcast media.

Beatles Appear on Sullivan Show

The Beatles [Hyperlink To Newsmakers] make two appearances on Ed Sullivan Show. Over 70 million people watch each show.

Nader Examines Auto Industry

Ralph Nader's book, Unsafe At Any Speed, questions motives of the auto industry.

The "Hippie" Comes Into Being

Michael Fallen starts a series of stories for the San Francisco Examiner, introducing the word "hippie" to readers. Fallen's articles describe the migration of beatniks from North Beach to Haight-Ashbury in search of cheaper rents, some popular hippie hangouts such as the notorious Blue Unicorn, and the generally bohemian lifestyle of the beatnik/hippie community. Fallen's articles are widely read, but "hippie" doesn't appear in mainstream language for two more years.

Cold War Satire Premiers

The film The Russians Are Coming, The Russians Are Coming, tells the story of the comic chaos which ensues when a Soviet submarine runs aground near a small New England town.

Star Trek Debuts

For next three years, science fiction program goes where no TV series has gone before.

First Super Bowl

Forty million TV viewers watch the Green Bay Packers beat the Kansas City Chiefs.

Summer of Love

Usually this description refers to 1967, in and around San Francisco when the "hippie movement" was in full flower. Particularly during the summer months, thousands upon thousands of young people flocked to the Haight-Ashbury to take part in a somewhat pale imitation of the true hippie experience. Many were drawn by the gentle lyrics of a song penned by John Phillips, member of The Mamas & the Papas. Phillips' song San Francisco (written in anticipation of the Monterey Pop Festival in June) romanticizes the era and atmosphere. Scott McKenzie's cover-version of the song is on the airwaves by May -- just in time for summer vacation.

If you're going to San Francisco,
be sure to wear some flowers in your hair...
If you come to San Francisco,
Summertime will be a love-in there.

Rolling Stone Magazine Premiers

The first issue of Rolling Stone, a new magazine devoted to music and popular culture, debuts featuring John Lennon on the cover.

Judi Ford is Crowned Miss America

Telecasts of the Miss America Pageant are among the most popular TV shows of the late '60s, regularly capturing two-thirds of the audience. Feminists realize this popularity means access to national media. In 1968, feminist protestors demonstrate on the Boardwalk outside the Pageant, crown a sheep, and throw symbols of female restraint into a "Freedom Trash Can." Media attention is immediate and generally positive, encouraging protestors to return in subsequent years. In the same city on the same day, the first Miss Black America Contest is held to protest the exclusively "white" Miss America Pageant. In the wake of these protests, Pepsi-Cola withdraws sponsorship of the Miss America Pageant, saying it no longer represents the values of American society.

Judy Garland Dies

The actress is killed by an overdose at age 47. Over 20,000 mourners attend her funeral.

One Small Step for Man

Along with Walter Cronkite, over half a billion people watch as the Apollo 11 lander settles on the lunar surface at 4:19 PM, EDT. News anchor Cronkite is almost speechless, exclaiming, "Man on the moon...oh, boy!" Six hours later, people are still riveted to the images from space as Neil Armstrong gently sets foot onto the powdery surface of the Moon at 10:56 PM. Buzz Aldrin also walks on the Moon, while the third member of the mission, Michael Collins, remains in orbit aboard the command module.

Woodstock: Three Days of Peace, Music & Love

An estimated audience of over 400,000 people gather for three days of music near Bethel, NY, swarming across the pastures of Max Yasgur's dairy farm. The festival is the brainchild of four men under age 26 (including one with a multimillion-dollar trust fund). Only 186,000 tickets are sold, so around 200,000 people are expected - but the amazing lineup of bands and musicians draws many more. Fences are pushed over and tickets become pointless. On opening night, sponsors declare free admission to all, and the word spreads like wildfire. Police estimate a million more people trying to reach Woodstock are stuck in traffic jams up to 50 miles away. In rain and mud, thousands listen to Janis Joplin, The Who, Canned Heat, the Grateful Dead, Crosby Stills Nash & Young, and Country Joe & The Fish. On the last morning, guitarist Jimi Hendrix wakes the crowd with a riveting solo version of the national anthem. The final cost is $2.4 million. A film of the concert is released the following year.

First E-mail Message

The first computer transmission is carried by ARPANET at 10:30 PM on October 29 from a host computer at UCLA to another host computer at Stanford.

Sesame Street Debuts

Program is first broadcast on NET, predecessor to PBS.

Revolutions

First Sit-In Protests

A group of students launch protests against segregation at a "Whites only" lunch counter of the Woolworth store in Greensboro, NC.

SNCC Founded

In Raleigh, N.C., African American college students create the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) to give young blacks a stronger role in the civil rights movement.

"Freedom Riders" Leave D.C.

An interracial group of protesters board buses and travel to the South to test President Kennedy's commitment to civil rights.

Ban-The-Bomb Protests

Anti-Nuclear Activists coordinate worldwide protests against nuclear weapons.

Silent Spring Published

Rachel Carson's book makes case for the urgent need to protect the environment.

James Meredith Registers at "Ole Miss"

On Sept 20, with the support a Supreme Court ruling, James Meredith arrives at the Univ. of Mississippi in Oxford, intending to enroll as the school's first black student. The state Governor physically blocks Meredith's progress on Sept 20, and again Sept 25. Talks between the White House and the Governor fail to produce a solution. The Kennedy administration orders federal marshals to Oxford. On Sept 30, rioting kills two students, and wounds 160 marshals. The next morning, Meredith officially registers as a transfer student; he graduates in 1963. Bob Dylan writes Oxford Town about Meredith's experiences.

The Feminine Mystique Published

Betty Friedan launches the modern feminist movement with her critique of the role of women in society.

Gloria Steinem Writes Playboy Bunny Article

As a freelancer for Show magazine, she writes an infamous undercover expose about harassment and injustices while pretending to be a Playboy bunny.

"I Have A Dream..."

During the Civil Rights March on Washington, Martin Luther King Jr. delivers one of his most impassioned and memorable speeches to an audience of 250,000. Speaking in front of the Lincoln Memorial, King sets aside his prepared notes to describe his vision of an nation that will "rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: 'We hold these truths to be self-evident; that all men are created equal.'" Later this year, King is named TIME's Person of the Year.

Freedom Summer Begins With Murder

The SNCC organizes Freedom Summer to increase voter registration and build a grassroots political party in Mississippi. Three young activists disappear on June 22: Andrew Goodman, Michael Schwerner, and James Chaney. Their bodies are found on August 4, buried in an earthen dam. Investigation results in 21 arrests, and conspiracy convictions of seven Ku Klux Klan members in October 1967. Exactly 41 years after the murders, on June 22, 2005, Edgar Ray Killen is convicted on three counts of manslaughter for masterminding the killings.

Civil Rights Act

Legislation outlaws discrimination on basis of race, color, religion, sex or national origin.

MLK Awarded Nobel Prize

Martin Luther King Jr. is awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

Malcolm X Assassinated

The Nation of Islam leader is killed during while delivering a speech in Manhattan's Audubon Ballroom.

Watts Race Riots

Six days of rage and riots in Los Angeles leave 34 dead and $200 million in damages.

Stokely Carmichael Takes Over at SNCC

Soon after taking charge at the SNCC Carmichael rejects nonviolence and invokes "Black Power".

NOW is Born

The National Organization for Women () is founded with the stated purpose of bringing "women into full participation in the mainstream of American society."

Black Panther Party Founded

Bobby Seale and Huey Newton found the Black Panthers in Oakland, CA. In stark contrast to the nonviolence endorsed by civil rights activists, the militant Black Panthers approve the use of violence for defense. The Black Panthers gain notoriety for patrolling streets in black berets and jackets, heavily armed with weapons. Their doctrine of self-determination and strength initially draws thousands of converts.

Abbie Hoffman Protest at Stock Exchange

Abbie Hoffman creates chaos on floor of the New York Stock Exchange by tossing (fake) currency from the gallery.

SSFU Student Strike

Five-month student strike begins at San Francisco University. The protests result in the creation of the nation's first ethnic studies program.

Wave of Campus Uprisings rolls over U.S.

Weeks of violent student uprisings begin with an extended student strike at U.C. Berkeley, and continue with takeovers and sit-ins at University of Massachusetts, Howard University, and Penn State.

Stonewall Riots

Judy Garland's funeral attracts gay mourners to the Stonewall Tavern in New York. A melee with police breaks out when someone resists arrest, launching the Gay Liberation Movement.

Native Americans Occupy Alcatraz

The protesters fail to gain title to the island, but inspire a native movement.

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The Sixties . Timeline . Text Version | PBS

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This timeline offers a sample of newsworthy happenings from the 1960s. The events used in this interactive timeline were chosen on the basis of importance at the time, and continuing significance for American culture at the start of the 21st century.

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Women's 1960s fashion was an extreme style and attitude from the start of the decade to the end. In the early years, the fashion idol was Jackie Kennedy with her perfect white pearls and tailored suit dresses. By the middle of the decade, supermodel Twiggy had women freeing their minds and bodies into clothing that didn't require any extra thought or effort.

From modest to "there is no such thing as too short," 1960s fashion was in many ways like the 1920s flapper revolution. But it didn't happen overnight.

Skip the history and shop 1960s style clothing:

Women's 1960s Fashion Trends

What clothes were popular in the 1960s? Shift dresses, mini skirts, go go boots, flare pants, jumper dresses, colorful denim, cloche hats, turtleneck shirts, flat shoes, pattern tights, and daisy flower prints. Many of these 60s clothes are back in style now.
Even more 1960s fashion trends were:

Jackie Kennedy, Brigitte Bardot, and Mary Quant were fashion icons.

The Youthquake movement created "Babydoll" clothing.

Short, shapeless shift dresses in bright colors and colorblock patterns became a staple of the Mod look.

Button-down shirts, turtlenecks, and chunky knit sweaters made up casual outfits.

Mini skirts or pencil skirts in plaid were a teenage girl's school outfit.

Jax pants, stirrup pants, bell bottoms, and pantsuits were new trends.

Low heel flats, step in boots, and vinyl shoes made up 60s footwear.

Stockings or tall socks came in all colors.

Pop Art jewelry was collectable.

60s hairstyles could be short and bobbed or long and straight.

Hippie fashion - Blue jeans, ethnic clothing, psychedelic swirls, tie-dye in the mid-late 1960s.

1960s Fashion Icons

Jackie Kennedy's style was clean, simple, and well fitted, with perfectly matched accessories. Janie wore dresses without collars and jackets that buttoned only with one large top button.

On her feet she wore sensible low heeled shoes (although many women still preferred high heels). She was the last celebrity woman to wear hats, a pillbox hat, as a necessary fashion.

Jackie O' put a lot of care into her look, and women both in the USA and abroad copied her style with enthusiasm.

Sadly, after her husband's assassination, Jackie was no longer in the public eye. Women had to find a new 1960s fashion idol to be inspired by.

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Brigitte Bardot was that woman. She was Jackie's opposite. Jackie was put together, simple and modest. Brigitte was tacky, cheap, bold, and even silly. Her 1959 pink gingham wedding dress with white lace trim was so unexpected that gingham and lace quickly became a new trend in the early 60s.

Mary Quant was another 1960s fashion influence. Her style moved away from "grown-up fashion" to playful "youth" driven clothing. Her shift dresses were short, very short, and her prints were bold and colorful "mod" prints. Her fashion as well as her personality set the tone for the rest of the 1960s: "fashion is fun."

It was the whole idea of a return to childhood that drove most of the fashion in the 1960s. Oversized collars, bows, and delicate trim miniaturized women and made them appear smaller.

Shapeless 60s mini dresses de-emphasized a woman's natural form. The flat and boxy look took away women's curves and made them little girls once more.

Kitten heel pumps, Mary Jane strap shoes, and flat sneakers were all childhood shoes returned to the '60s youthquake culture.

It was no coincidence that a young culture had a lot to do with half the American population being under 25 and with European countries having a similarly large youth population, too.

After growing up in the '50s as "little adults," the youth embraced their fond early childhood memories and fashions. By children's fashion, we mean babies and toddlers. The 1960s "babydoll" look was incorporated into dress, hair, and even makeup.

1960s Dresses

The full skirt and tight bodice of the '50s swing dress continued in the early '60s, with a slightly above- or at-the-knee hemline and modest high necklines.

1960s dress colors and patterns were bigger, brighter, and streamlined with simple necklines and short cap sleeves. This full-skirted look didn't leave fashion in the 1960s. Instead, it carried through to the 1970s in a pared down, less fluffy form.

The other style of early 60s dresses was the contoured sheath dress. Like the 50s version, it was knee-length, modest, and simple, but tailored to the hourglass curve of the body. By 1963, the sheath was losing its tight curves (a welcome relief) and relaxing into the shift dress.

The shift dress lacked any sort of tailored waistline, but did pinch in slightly around the ribs and skimmed over the hips to just above the knee. This loose but narrow looking dress was very comfortable and easy to wear. It became the primary women's dress style of the 1960s.

1960s skimmer dresses were a cousin of the shift dress. Skimmers fit straight on the body with a high neckline and (usually) a belt to define the waist, but not shape it. They "skimmed" the body without touching the skin. The hemline also hovered above the knee- how daring!

The 1960s drop waist dress was a 1920s throwback where the skirt circled the low hip and dropped to the knee. It was a bit more fitted than the shift dress, with a gathered or pleated skirt. The drop waist dress seemed to have been favored by mature women who were more used to a tailored fit.

1960s dresses became shorter and shorter. Anything above the knee was a "mini skirt." How short a woman's dress became a sign of how confident she was - not necessarily that she had great legs.

Hem length was directly proportional to how 60s women felt about their own sexual liberation.

1960s short skirts were not meant to attract men for the sake of sexual interest, but instead were a way to attract attention so that a WOMAN could be the one to decide if his attention was wanted. It was sexual power through fashion.

The jumper dress was a Mary Quant invention that captured the youthful, playful side of 1960s fashion. That style immediately made a 20-year-old look 10, a welcome change from the '50s mature fashion. Big bows, large round collars, pastels, and polka dots were all dress details that made women look like a little girl's dolls. The more innocent, the better.

Colors and prints were at first inspired by the pop art and modern art movements, AKA "Mod" culture.

Checkerboard, horizontal stripes, windowpane, polka dots, colorblock, honeycomb, houndstooth and Campbell's soup cans were all placed on short shift dresses with contrasting white cuffs and collars. Black and white was especially MOD.

Psychedelic swirls and prints introduced a trippy edge to clothing that was picked up by the hippies around 1966-1968. Being over the top was never too much. Large paisley swirls, neon flower daisies, and tropical beach prints all made an appearance. Bright yellow, orange, hot pink, and lime green were the favorites. These bold colors and loud patterns were seen on dresses, skirts, tops, and pants.
Shop 1960s style dresses here
There was also a trend of earth tone colors, especially as the 60s decade moved toward the hippie movement. Moss green, earthy browns, mustard yellow, and burnt orange were common colors year-round.

See more examples of vintage 1960s dresses here.

Hippie outfits are popular 60s party costumes. Learn more about who the real 1960s hippies were and what they wore. Shop more 70s style hippie dresses too.

1960s Cocktail, Prom, and Evening Dresses

For swanky 19 60s cocktail parties, the party look of the '60s was the same short shift, tent, and skimmer dress styles in luxury fabrics, mostly in black ... or white.

The two-piece jacket dress was a classic with mature ladies.

For the young, dressy shell tops and cigarette pants were a welcome change from dresses.

In the late '60s, wide-leg jumpsuits became a type of hostess dress, acceptable for evening house parties.

In the 1960s, pastels were worn in the summer and rich jewel tones in fall. Lace was a popular 1960s fabric as well as velvet or a classic light crepe. Most cocktail dresses were undecorated, but some had braid and metallic mesh trim around the necks and hems. "Minimal" was the sixties look to achieve.

For 1960s evenings and prom, the choice was between short or long empire waist dresses.

Usually sleeveless, the longer dresses were shaped like a column with pleats at the back. The top was often a contrasting lace or damask material cinched in with a bow on the front or back.

Short 60s evening dresses looked the same as long dresses, just shorter. Many were tent shaped or A-line instead of the slim column shape.

Learn more about 1960s cocktail party/evening wear/wedding party attire here.

1960s Tops, Sweaters, Coats

1960s women's tops, shirts, blouses, and sweaters all took direction from casual clothing in the 1950s. The primary change was that shirts and sweaters now fit straight on the body, with no emphasis on the bust or waist.

1960s tops could also be worn untucked. Gasp!

Women's 60s tops hung out over pants and skirts and grew longer as the decade advanced. Necklines also grew higher, back to the modest look of the 1930s.

The mock neck blouse or knit shirt was a classic. Sleeveless in summer and typically called shells, the fit was always boxy. They were casual solid tops worn with pants and shorts. Long sleeve black turtlenecks were a uniform of the Beatniks in London, but in the USA horizontal stripes were worn by every young person.

Big roll collars, round Peter Pan collars (often in contrasting white), big bows, and pointed shirt collars called attention to a thin neck and short hair.

Women's 1960s button up shirts took on the look of menswear with round or straight hems, oversized collars, and bold prints.

Bright colors and big prints made colorful statements when paired with a solid color matching pant. Learn more about 1960s blouses, tops, and shirt styles for women.
Shop 1960s tops and shirts here.
1960s knitted sweaters were usually solid colored pullovers or in the boxy cardigan style.

'60s knitwear designs favored texture - thick textured cable knits and wide rib knits were very popular. Many had large fold-out collars and oversized roll necks. Cardigans were usually collarless with some unique print in the early to mid-'60s such as small argyle, checks, chevron, or florals.

Read more about 1960s knitwear and sweaters
Shop 1960s sweaters and cardigans.
For winter wear, a good wool coat was still necessary. 1960s women's coats narrowed down and shortened up to fit over new, thinner, clothes.

Round collars with big buttons, flap pockets, geometric prints, and maybe a belt kept 60s coats looking cute and fun. Outerwear came down to just above the knee so that long, lean legs would continue to be the focal point.

Women's 1960s legs froze in winter. Only a warm pair of stockings, tights or tall socks could save them.

Short jackets in the 60s, especially those made of suede and leather, were popular options for the young and casual girl.

Shiny plastic-like vinyl was even more trendy with the space-age loving mod set.
Shop 1960s coats and jackets.
Most 60s women, however, chose a blazer-type jacket that was dressy enough to be worn with dresses, but also casual enough to be worn with pants on the weekends.

1960s Skirts

Women's 1960s skirts came in knee lengths with classic circle skirts/swing skirts, straight pencil skirts, and box-pleated A-line skirts (school girl style) in the early to mid 60s. Plaid patterns were very popular in the fall and winter, and solid pastels in spring and summer.

The late '60s saw the first shocker - the mini skirt - enter fashion. Mini skirts were 4-6 inches above the knee in box pleats or A-line button front shapes.

Plaids, pleats, corduroy, and heavy knits were perfect for 60s mini skirts. They were worn with tights and tall go go boots by teens and trendy college-age girls.

Mature women didn't wear minis. They went the opposite direction - longer! Button front knee-length skirts, knee-length skorts, and at-the-knee denim skirts were all newer options for 1960s women.

The maxi skirt came about at the end of the 60s decade too. Women and girls of all ages loved them.

Long skirts were gathered at the waist, sometimes with a tie bow, and hung down in a column shape. They took inspiration from prairie dresses and were made in hippie loving calico prints or swirly psychedelic eye poppers. In the evenings, long skirts were quilted or made with shiny taffeta fabrics.
Shop mini skirts, A-line skirts, long maxi skirts, denim skirts, and more.
The 1960s style skirt has returned to fashion this year.

1960s Pants

1960s Jax pants with a very high waist, shaped hip, and slender leg continued to be favorites from the 1950s. Women's 60s pants were usually lined, with side zippers and no waistband.

Women's 1960s pants could be worn with blouses tucked in, but more often had longer tops untucked.

Crop tops were a favorite in 60s summer - never too short, but occasionally long enough to overlap the pants' waistband.

The 1960s stretch pant and stirrup pant took advantage of a new kind of knit fabric.

Easy to sew and wear, the elastic stirrup under the foot kept pants smooth and straight. It didn't matter that the stirrup was visible. When ankle boots came into fashion, suddenly visible stirrups were taboo. Boots must be worn!

All 1960s pants / trousers came down to just above the ankle until the late '60s, when longer pants became the new trend. They also still zipped up the back or side for most of the decade, but moved to the front for trousers and jean styles.

Pants in the 60s were high waisted (circling the belly button) except for the youthful hip hugger styles that appeared in the mid '60s. They were more popular in Europe than America, and very trendy with the Mods and Beatniks.

1960s denim jeans followed the fit and style of slim pants: high waist, tapered leg, ankle crop, and in many more colors than just blue. White was especially trendy. Blue jeans were not as common as you might expect. They somewhat disappeared in the 1960s, only to return with a vengeance in 1969 with a flared boot cut.
Shop 1960s style pants here.
Flare jeans and pants may have started in the 1960s, but didn't go mainstream until 1969 and into the 1970s. There were a few casual flared leg pants designed as early as 1967, but for the most part, flared jeans and bell-bottom pants were not part of the 1960s. Even the hippies wore straight-leg pants in the 1960s. Learn more about 1960s pants, capris, jeans and culottes.

1960s Suits

Women's 60s suits, like the '50s, were dresses (or skirt and top separates) worn with a matching short jacket. They were the most professional choice for looking polished and lady-like.

Mature women liked the tailored suits with pencil skirts and cropped jackets, while young women embraced the knit suit with an open cardigan style jacket or light blazer.

As shocking as a 1960s mini skirt was to society, there was an equal confusion over the new pantsuit. It was a look directly copied from men's suits, but tailored down to feminine proportions.

Some 1960s work offices and establishments forbade women from wearing pantsuits. There was confusion over whether they were an insult to femininity or empowerment for women (which "disrespected men").

While 1960s fashion magazines debated, women flocked to the stores to buy pantsuits. Women were already wearing casual pants everywhere else, so wearing dressy pants seemed only natural.

Jumpsuits were another outfit that emerged in the late 1960s. These ultra wide leg one piece top and bottom overalls came in dramatic prints with big belts to match.

Many 1960s jumpsuits were sleeveless but could be worn over a blouse. They could be worn for lounging around the house or hosting an elegant house party.

They differed from the 1970s jumpsuit with a straight, wide palazzo leg.

Two peice jumpsuit looking sets were a matching tunic top and palazzo pant. Shop 60s and 70s jumpsuits.

1960s Shoes and Stockings

With women's 1960s legs now fully exposed by short hemlines and the youthful girl look on-trend, shoes took a drastic turn from high fashion with high heels to street fashion with low to no heels. Flats were in. Cheap was in. Color was in. Sophistication was out.

Thanks to new materials, notably PVC (Vinyl), women's 60s shoes could be mass-produced for cheap and come in a lot of bright colors to match dresses. The low heel made them easy to walk and live life in.

All the footwear designs of the earlier decades- loafers, Mary Janes, T-straps, monk straps, ballet, saddle shoes, and Oxfords - were designed into a low heeled shoe for the '60s.

Tall and skinny stiletto heels were still an option for evenings in the 1960s. The single strap Mary Jane came back in fashion, as did the slingback with cutouts on the sides.

Even 60s boots had flat heels. Thanks to an interest in all things futuristic looking, tall boots in white or silver became the new black. Everyone wore them.

1960s boots looked great with short dresses and mini skirts.

Tall white boots were called go-go boots, named after night club dancers in LA who wore them. Teens loved them and wore them with mini skirts to school (if they were allowed). Go Go boots are the most iconic shoe of the 1960s.

In the late '60s, suede boots in natural colors dominated fall and winter fashions. Both tall and short boot styles were worn with short shift dresses. Booties could be worn with long pants too.

Most 1960s boots were step in or pull on styles with a side zipper. The lace up boot was coming into style closer to the 1970s.

In the summer, it was the 1960s sandal heel, flip flop, and mule that had women feeling cool in the heat.

1960s summer shoe colors were bright and the straps were either very wide or very skinny.

Women's 60s sandal heels had a closed square toe, whereas casual sandals had a large open toe. Sandals were every woman's new favorite shoe. They could be worn with almost any outfit at any time of day, and not look out of place.

Women's 1960s casual shoes were canvas flat sneakers that we often refer as the brand name "Keds" today.

Keds were either slip-on loafers or lace-up sneakers in bright, happy colors, chosen to coordinate with an outfit. They were cheap, so women could afford to have one in every color. In the spring and summer, they were worn without socks.
Shop 1960s Style Shoes.
Read more about ALL the 1960s shoe styles here.

1960s Colored tights were worn with short skirts and dresses in a variety of colors and textures: white, black, purple, yellow, green, orange, fishnet, herringbone, ribbed, and lace. Tights covered up ugly knees and didn't cause garter straps like sheer stockings did.

Once pantyhose were perfected, they were the savior of women's legs anywhere. 1960s pantyhose camouflaged hair, bumps, bruises, and wide kneecaps. Even skin tone tights were thick and dark. To go bare-legged with dresses in the '60s was still too immodest. Ironic?

Shop colorful tights and socks inspired by the 1960s.

Tall socks could be worn instead of tights in the sixties. Chunky rib knits with a fold-down cuff were a mainstay for teens and young adults. All primary colors were worn as well as deep textures: waffle, cable knit, ribbed, honeycomb and others.

1960s Jewelry

Colorful women's clothing needed equally colorful 1960s jewelry.

In the early 60s, traditional jewelry continued to favor textured gold, white pastel, and colored pearls. These pretty and safe designs complemented the feminine 1950s style clothing.

The one change to traditional jewelry was the length. Longer pearls and tassel tip necklaces were preferred over the older short styles.

1960s necklaces hung down low on plain front shift dresses but were usually of a matching color so as not to distract from the dress. Round button earrings or small chandelier earrings matched 60s necklaces.

The new youth with their obsession with fake plastics, vinyl, and bold colors favored jewelry inspired by Pop Art.

Geometric shapes made their way onto over-sized dangling earrings.

Large chunky bangles or stacks of thin bracelets jingled up and down bare arms.

Novelty shapes were still popular, but they embraced brighter colors and more comical themes.

The same went for flowers, now made from plastic resins. They were cheerful pastel or primary-colored clusters hanging from 60s necklaces, earrings, and bracelets.
Shop 1960s inspired jewelry.
Learn more about 1960s jewelry styles here.

1960s Hairstyles

Without a hat to call attention to a woman's head, 1960s hairstyles became a new focus for women. The 60s bouffant hairstyle teased hair to new heights... literally.

Guiche curls kissed her cheeks (made possible by a bit of nail polish to keep them pointed to a crisp). All that volume made faces appear smaller and more doll-like.

60s hair length rose from shoulder to chin to cropped above the ears as the decade progressed, only to come crashing down again in the '70s.

See more examples of 1960s hairstyles here.

Headbands were a trendy 60s hair accessory. Simple, wide satin headbands swept hair away from the face.

Hair scarves/bandannas were also trendy in the later half of the decade.

Cloche hats experienced a revival with the mod look. Pillbox hats and flower pot hats were in style with the early 60s looks.

Shop hats, hair accessories, and wigs here.

1960s Makeup

The early 60s makeup saw the exaggerated cat eye and full red lip continue. Eyebrows were shaped into subtle peak instead of a high curve. Pink blush was subtle and almost non-existent.

There were also 1960s makeup styles for the mod look (AKA babydoll face), specialty products for black women, looks for eveningwear, and others.

Powder - Flesh tone.

Blush - Soft rose pink.

Eye Shadow - White-pink, purple, light blue, aqua.

Eye Liner - Dark brown or black, top and bottom lined and extended outwards.

Lipstick - Deep pink, orange-red.

Eyebrows - Shaped into a soft peak.

Learn more about 1960s makeup.

Late 1960s Fashion: The Hippie Look

The late '60s saw a movement of anti-fashion, a political statement that grew so popular it became a mainstream fashion style. Real hippie clothing and hippie fashion were completely different.

Early on in the 1960s movement, festival going hippies wore mainstream fashions such as the shift dress in psychedelic colors of 1966-68. Tye-die was popular in 1968, taking plain white men's undershirts and dyeing them with multiple colors. The more color, the better - and the gaudier the colors, the better!

In 1968-69, the fashion shifted to earth tones, faded denim jeans, embroidered tops and tunics, and handmade accessories such as headbands, friendship bracelets, and hair wraps.

The flower child decoration of patches, embroidery, painting, and peace signs were added by many hippies to make their jeans feel less commercial or to make an anti-war statement.

60s Hippie fashion influenced mainstream designers who turned back to the down to earth, homemade, ethnic arts and crafts styles. Forest green with brown suede, and sunshine yellow with denim blue were signature colors of the ethnic-hippie '60s.

Crochet pieces, suede vests, wood beads, headbands, sandals, and embroidered trim decorated shift dresses or flared jeans. It was a blend of current silhouettes and folk art decoration.

Learn more about 60s hippie fashion influences, history of 60s hippie clothes and check out these 10 hippie outfit ideas.

The 1970s continued the hippie trend into mainstream fashion. The youth-oriented looks turned to the complete opposite - granny style.

Romanticized granny clothes from several generations ago, like pioneer women, returned fashion back to long dresses and sleeves, ruffles, lace trim, small cotton prints, and long hair (worn down this time, not up).

The age of the mini skirt "grew up" and turned into adults, not like their parents but instead like those of generations before, which seemed to have a simple life that hippies idolized.

Continue learning about 1970s fashion here.

More 60s History and Outfit Ideas

Need more help with your 60s outfit? Just ask us anytime!

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1960s fashion history for women. A return to youth, shocking colors, shorter hemlines, pop art and the hippie movement. What did women wear? Answered.

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In my humble opinion, cars from the 1960s are the best. Not too modern, not too old. Just right. Mustang. Camaro. Road Runner. The list goes on and on.

Detroit stated 1964 models were designed with serious consideration for the needs & tastes of American women. Women represented over 1 million sales a year.

1965 was called the "the year of the stylist." Engineering changes took a back seat to changes in overall appearance. The Ford Mustang dominated.

1966 models brought the first front-wheel drive car since 1937. People were shocked that someone would make a car that would pull by its front wheels!

Continued improvements were made to electric cars in 1966. Ford showed off a lab model of a sodium-sulfur battery that was 15 times lighter than the average battery.

To read more about a specific year, keep reading below.

Cars in 1960

In 1960, car buyers were demanding smaller vehicles. Compact cars were marketed heavily by every automobile manufacturer, in stark contrast to the 1950s. New models included the Ford Falcon, the Chevrolet Corvair and the Plymouth Valiant. Soon after, Lincoln-Mercury released the Comet and Dodge introduced the Dart. Midway through 1960, General Motors announced that it would offer three smaller cars, the Buick Special, the Oldsmobile F-85 and the Pontiac Tempest. This focus on smaller cars domestically caused a sharp drop in import sales.

U.S retail buyers had 266 different models to choose from, with a standard price spread of $1,795 for a Rambler American sedan to $13,075 for the limited-edition Cadillac Eldorado Brougham. In general prices did not change much at all from the preceding year.

The 4-door sedan was still the best seller, but station wagons were increasing in popularity and ranked second in all sales over the sportier 2-door vehicle.

Engineering improvements aimed at improving economy of use. Aluminum replaced iron and steel to reduce weight in some models. There were adjustments made to combustion chamber design and compression ratios that aided fuel economy. Mechanical advances were on display as we saw the first rear-engine car made in America, the Chevy Corvair.

Also in 1960, the first alternator was used in a production car. Although alternators had been used extensively in vehicles like taxis, police cars and other vehicles with numerous gadgets and accessories, installing an alternator in a family car like the Chrysler Variant was a first. Some industry experts speculated industry-wide use of alternators within a decade.

Cars in 1963

Ford Motor Company's Ford Division spent an estimated $250-300 million to introduce its 1964 models according to Division President Lee A. Iacocca. The Ford 'new look,' generally followed the design of the Thunderbird. The popular Falcon, for example, had the look of the sporty Thunderbird.

Cadillac continued to stress comfort and performance. The Cadillac fins, the last remaining fins in the industry, were lowered one-half inch, and the 1964 cars are 1/2 inch longer.

Chrysler's luxury Imperial line, completely redesigned, featured a cleaner, less bulky, sculptured look, resembling the competing Lincoln Continental.

Detroit indicated that the 1964 cars were designed with serious consideration for the needs and tastes of American women. Executives acknowledged that women represented at least 1 million sales a year, which was the difference between a good year and a bad one.

Auto manufacturers emphasized more horsepower per unit. New engines ranged from 95 HP for the Chevrolet Corvair 500 to a big 360 HP for the Chrysler 300 K.

Floor-mounted 'stick' transmissions were gaining in popularity. One hand-shifted transmission manufacturers justified the demand on the theory that 'they make you feel like you are controlling the car.' Still, Ward's reported that automatic transmissions were installed on 76.4 % of the 1964 models.

Buick featured a new 'super-turbine' transmission in some of its 1964 models. Edward D. Rollert, Buick general manager, hailed it as "The greatest advance we've made in the automatic transmission. The most important single development in the history of the torque converter."

Cadillac featured a new built-in, combination heating and air conditioning system.

All auto makers continued their long warranty periods, with Chrysler's 50,000-mile five-year warranty, introduced last year, the most generous offer. Twenty-four months or 24,000 miles is the extent of the average warranty in the industry.

Two accessories that excited the car buying public were a tiltable steering wheel, which could be adjusted to seven different positions, and a 'swing-aside' steering wheel.

Seat-belt sales continued to increase and after January 1, 1964, became standard equipment on all cars. Air conditioning units were being installed in an increasing number of cars. They were factory-installed in 17.9% of the 1963 models.

Prices of the 1964 models ranged from $1,953 for the Rambler American 220 to $6,434 for the Imperial LeBaron by Chrysler. A special case was Chrysler's 20-foot Crown Imperial limousine, selling for $18,500.

E. M. Estes, Pontiac general manager, said, "There is positive proof that a majority of the buyers today want bigger, more comfortable, more luxuriously appointed cars.' To illustrate, he cited the 1964 Pontiac Tempest (introduced in 1960 as a compact), which was lengthened to 203 inches, 8.7 inches longer than the 1963 model.

Cars in 1964

The US Auto industry was hampered by strikes and parts shortages in 1964 but finished the calendar year with near-record production and sales figures. According to final, unofficial tabulations by Automotive News, 7,746,000 passenger cars rolled off the lines.

General Motors was hit by a nationwide strike on September 25, 1964. Ten days later, terms were reached on a settlement. Similar local strikes later plagued Ford. It wasn't until November 23 that the industry's main labor troubles ended. While domestic car makers had their troubles, imports fared well.

The 1965 line in general was described as "the year of the stylist." In the minds of the motoring public, engineering changes were subordinated to changes in overall appearance of the cars. Engines got a bit more power, but car warranties went unchanged.

US auto makers offered buyers a choice of 343 new models. GM cars presented softer, curving lines and a racy look; Ford featured sharp, crisp shapes; Chrysler and American Motors added a bit more sweep and roundness to their cars' contours. Most models grew in length.

If any new model deserved a "Car of the Year" award it was Ford's Mustang. From the day of its off-season introduction on April 17 until year's end, Ford had turned out 303,275 of those bad boys! Plymouth was well received with its Barracuda.

Chrysler, which already controlled Simca in France, bought a $35M minority interest in Rootes Motors, of England, in June. Chrysler said it would not increase its 30% stake in the British firm. GM and Ford also continued their overseas expansions.

A "Poor Man's Rolls" was offered during the summer, the result of a bit of British industrial teamwork. Rolls-Royce supplied the aluminum, six-cylinder engine, and British Motor Corp. built the body. They called it the Vanden Plas Princess R. Its selling price was a shade under $5,600 - against the $15,400 for a Rolls Silver Cloud III. The Princess R was about the size of a Benz, with a top speed of 112 mph.

Cars in 1965

The US auto industry had its biggest year ever in 1965, with production, sales, employment and profits soaring to all-time highs.

Another all-time high was reached: traffic deaths. Style-conscious Detroit was forced by government action to pay more attention to the good health of the people.

Cars in California were equipped, for the first time, with a $45 device that reduced carbon monoxide gases. Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Clean Air Act authorizing the government to create standards to limit air pollution.

For its 1966 cars, the industry created a "safety package", which included backup lights, multiple windshield wipers, padded dashboard, rear seat belts and windshield washer fluid. The price of these items averaged about $50.

For the US industry as a whole, there were few style changes in the 1966 models. The four major auto companies offered 364 body styles. Options were popular too.

The first front-wheel drive since 1937 was released in the Oldsmobile Toronado. People were shocked that someone would make a car that would pull by its front wheels instead of push from the back!

New innovations included the station wagon dual-action tailgate and stereo tape players with FOUR speakers.

Also new were Pontiac's overhead cam, six-cylinder engine, Chrysler's unique safety door handles and American Motors' self adjusting clutch.

Cars in 1966

Safety was the primary concern in 1966 as the industry chalked up it second best sales year ever, topped only by 1965.

But with a nationwide death toll of about 1,000 road deaths per week, everyone's focus was on safety. And 1966 was an unparalleled year for safety requirements for car manufacturers.

Here's a long list of just some of the new standards for automobiles that were required in 1966 (in no particular order):

1. Auto manufacturers had to notify car buyers of any safety defects or recalls

2. Anchorages for shoulder belts and seats

3. Recessed control knobs

4. Collapsible steering column

5. Safety door latches and hinges

6. Four-way flashers

7. Dual brakes

8. Standard bumper heights

9. Uniform gearshift pattern

10. Safety standards for tires and rims

11. Turn signals visible from the side

12. Rear window defoggers

13. Non-rupturing fuel tanks and pipes

US companies offered 367 basic 1967 models. Most had options. Two major sales themes were sportiness and safety.

Ford, with the hugely popular Mustang carrying the load for a couple years, was finally getting some real challengers. One came from within: the Lincoln-Mercury Cougar. Chevrolet released the Camaro and Chrysler-Plymouth beefed up its Barracuda line.

Prices ranged from $2,000 for a Rambler to $10,000 for a Cadillac Seventy-Five limo. The design trend was toward a long hood, a short deck and low, sleek profiles.

For the first time, all four major auto manufacturers guaranteed the power train for 5 years/50,000 miles.

The electric car emerged on the scene in 1966. Ford showed off a lab model of a sodium-sulfur battery that was 15 times lighter than the average lead battery. At the time, company engineers said they need at least TWO MORE YEARS to develop a prototype car.

In October, GM showed off two experimental vehicles: a Corvair and a small truck. Both could drive about 40 to 150 miles.

Cars in 1967

The automobile industry had a rough year in 1967, with most of the blame falling on the shoulder of labor problems. Ford was crushed by a 49-day strike, putting its earnings loss in the third quarter at approximately $74 million - an absolutely staggering amount of money in 1967. The UAW union agreement with Ford, Chrysler and GM provided wage boosts of nearly a dollar per hour for workers.

Due to domestic production issues, auto imports set a new record in 1967 with 785,000 sold. Overall sales lagged behind 1966, with no help from the Vietnam War, which literally pulled hundreds of thousands of young men out of the market.

Prices rose markedly because of higher production costs and wages. A government decision to require shoulder seat belts on all cars manufactured in 1968 was a good example of the various safety regulations that caused prices to rise as well. Additionally, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics found that a large part of the price hike was simply price boost.

In 1967 cars were lower, longer and wider in shape. Convertibles and station wagons were replaced by their much hotter-selling counterparts, the two-door hardtop. AMC introduced the only new car in the U.S., the Javelin. It was a made as a challenger to the muscle car market dominated by the Mustang, Camaro and Barracuda. AMC was also the only manufacturer to drop a car, the Marlin.

Cars were coming with a lot more options and people were becoming accustomed to tailoring their cars specifically to their own needs. These were exciting times for car buyers indeed.

New safety regulations required that car manufacturers add or improve the following:

1. Windshield washers

2. Defoggers

3. Dual-cylinder brake systems

4. Impact absorbing steering columns

5. Safe door latches

Transportation Secretary Alan S. Boyd proposed an additional 47 safety standards covering cars through 1971. James Roche, president of GM, moved up to board chairman while Edward N. Cole took over as President. AMC named Roy D. Chapin, Jr. as chairman and William V. Luneberg as president.

Cars in 1968

All-time sales records were broken in 1968. Imports made up 10% of these sales, but domestic sales improved from the previous year. For the first time in a while, there were no real labor shortages to mention.

Prices rose slightly, but the biggest change was the length of cars. Luxury and family sedans were longer in 1968 than ever before, with new models featuring flowing bodies, longer hoods and much nicer interiors. New options included heated rear-windows and self-adjusting anti-skid brake systems. Headrest were a new feature on all cars, required by government safety standards.

Auto manufacturers implemented a controversial price cutting measure: shortening warranties. Until then, most warranties had been 24,000 or 24 months, but in 1968 the standard warranty was cut in half to 12,000 miles or 12 months. The warranty covering the power train remained covered by a 5-year or 50,000 mile warranty.

Ralph Nader, author of Unsafe At Any Speed, continued to push hard for government safety regulations, citing the nation's highway death toll of 50,000 per year.

A big surprise in the industry occurred when Semon Knudsen, who had just recently resigned as EVP of GM, was named president of Ford Motor Company. Knudsen's father was a former president of GM.

Manufacturers continued to experiment with electric cars, but were having great difficulty solving the problem of an economical, long-life battery that's strong enough to power a car.

Cars in 1969

Once again new car sales records were broken. Both domestic and imported car sales were up, but scattered strikes and a tighter market tempered optimism. The success of imports inspired American manufacturers to design an even smaller sub-compact car, similar to the wildly successful Volkswagen Beetle. The older style compact cars, such as the Corvair which debuted in 1960, were abandoned.

Not all cars were small. Many young buyers still wanted power and they got in bunches. Several great muscle cars were released in 1969, as you can see in the pictures below.

Some notable design changes include the Ford Thunderbird changing the nose to resemble the Pontiac Grand Prix, Cadillac dropped the V-symbol, and fiber-glass-belted tires were on nearly every car. Interestingly, some car companies included detailed repair manuals with their cars to help owners mitigate repair costs.

In a surprise move, Ford named former GM executive Semon Knudsen president in 1968. However, after just 19 months on the job, he was fired by Henry Ford II. Ford's only comment: "It didn't work out."

1960s Sports Cars & Muscle Cars

1960s Luxury Cars

1960s Family Cars, Station Wagons & Sedans

1960s Compact Cars, Trucks & Concept Cars

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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.