What Happened in 1961

George W. Bush Attends Phillips Academy

As a child, Bush attended public schools in Midland, Texas until the family moved to Houston after he completed seventh grade. He then went to The... Read more

Ford E-Series is First Produced

The Ford E-Series, formerly known as the Econoline or Club Wagon, is a line of full-size vans (both cargo and passenger) and truck chassis from the... Read more

"Both Sides Of An Evening" Is Released

Both Sides Of An Evening was an album first released in 1961 by The Everly Brothers. It failed to make any of the record charts. It was released... Read more

'A House for Mr. Biswas' is Published

And so Mr. Biswas, ex-sign painter, ex-bus conductor, ex-journalist, achieved his heart's desire and moved into a dwelling of his very own. It... Read more

Marilyn Monroe and Arthur Miller Get Divorced

The Hollywood screen star Marilyn Monroe has divorced her husband, playwright Arthur Miller, after less than five years of marriage. The divorce... Read more

Dole and Columbia River Packers (which Becomes Bumble Bee Seafood, Inc.) Merge with Castle & Cooke

Dole and Columbia River Packers merge with Castle & Cooke. Because the DOLE® brand was so well known and signified high quality with consumers,... Read more

Mercedes-Benz W110 is First Produced

The W110 "Fintail" (German: Heckflosse) was Mercedes-Benz's line of midsize four-cylinder automobiles in the mid-1960s. The line was introduced... Read more

Aretha Franklin Releases "Aretha"

Aretha is the self-titled pop debut album of the future "Queen of Soul" Aretha Franklin, for Columbia Records, released in 1961. Following in... Read more

Ford Capri is First Produced

Ford Capri was a name used by the Ford Motor Company for three different automobile models. The Ford Consul Capri coupé was produced by Ford of... Read more

Volvo P1800 is First Produced

The Volvo P1800 is a sports car from Volvo. The project was started in 1957 because Volvo wanted a sports car, despite the fact that their... Read more

NASA's Apollo Program

The Apollo Program was a human spaceflight program undertaken by NASA during the years 1961–1975 with the goal of conducting manned moon landing... Read more

'Tropic of Cancer' is Published in the United States

In Tropic of Cancer he deals primarily with matters which, while not exactly left out of modern books, are usually slurred over, and in his pages... Read more

Strategic Hamlet Program

In 1961, U.S. advisors in South Vietnam, along with the Diem regime, began the implementation of a plan attempted to isolate rural peasants from... Read more

Ronald Reagan Speaks Out Against Socialized Medicine

Ronald Reagan Speaks Out Against Socialized Medicine is a 1961 LP recorded by Ronald Reagan. In this 11-minute recording, Reagan "criticized Social... Read more

John F. Kennedy Appoints Edward R. Murrow Head of The United States Information Agency

Murrow's appointment as head of the United States Information Agency was seen as a vote of confidence in the agency, which provided the official... Read more

Joe Biden attends University of Delaware

Biden attended the University of Delaware in Newark, where he was more interested in sports and socializing than in studying, although his... Read more

Ronald Reagan Plays Major Will Sinclair in "Zane Grey Theater (The Westerners)" - Season 5, Episode 15: The Long Shadow

Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theater, sometimes simply called Zane Grey Theater, is a Western anthology series which ran on CBS from 1956-1961. Six... Read more

Kennedy's Inauguration

On January 20, 1961, John F. Kennedy distinguished his inaugural ceremony with a poetry reading by fellow New Englander Robert Frost. Blinded by... Read more

Wayne Gretzky is Born

Wayne Douglas Gretzky, CC (born January 26, 1961 in Brantford, Ontario) is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player. He is formerly a... Read more

"The Misfits" Is Released

The Misfits (1961) is a American drama film, written by Arthur Miller, directed by John Huston, and starring Clark Gable, Marilyn Monroe,... Read more

"Girl With A Suitcase" Is Released

Girl with a suitcase (Italian: La Ragazza con la valigia) is a 1961 Italian romantic drama film by Italian Director Valerio Zurlini starring... Read more

Sabena Flight 548 Crashes, Killing the United States Figure Skating Team

There was no indication of trouble on board the plane until it approached the Brussels airport. The pilot had to circle the airport while waiting... Read more

Nelson Mandela and others found not guilty in Treason Trial

The Treason Trial was a trial in which 156 people (105 Blacks, 21 Indians, 23 Whites and 7 Coloureds), including Nelson Mandela, were arrested in a... Read more

President Kennedy Establishes the Peace Corps by Executive Order

On March 1, 1961, Kennedy signed an Executive Order 10924 that officially started the Peace Corps. Concerned with the growing tide of revolutionary... Read more

Raymond Loewy Begins To Design The Avanti

On March 22, 1961, industrial designer Raymond Loewy made a dozen sketches of a futuristic sports car at the request of Sherwood Egbert, the... Read more