1969 History Events: What Happened in 1969

The presidential torch was passed from President Lyndon B. Johnson to Richard Nixon in 1969, which marked the transition from the 1960s to the 1970s. The newly elected President, together with other world leaders, asserted authority over a world population of 3.6 billion people. Michael was the most popular boy’s name that year, and Lisa was the most popular girl’s name. Rappers R. Kelly and Puff Daddy were among the infants, as was musician Dave Crohl and actresses Jennifer Anniston and Rene Zelleger. Unfortunately, as we all know, life finds its equilibrium in death. The world has lost Dwight Eisenhower, Judy Garland, Rocky Marciano, and Ho Chi Minh in the last 12 months.

True Grit, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, and The Wild Bunch were among the films shown to those who sat down for a movie. Popular novel choices for the intellectually inclined were Slaughterhouse-Five, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, and The Andromeda Strain. Continue reading to learn how this year altered computers and helped the world see a new frontier.

Aside from the July 20th moon landing, important firsts in 1969 included the first supersonic aircraft test flight, the first successful eye transplant, the first Woodstock festival, and the first Wendy’s Hamburgers. The moon module, laser printer, Taser, and mousepad were all made possible thanks to science. This year, in addition to witnessing the first man walk on the moon, hard-pressed US forces captured Hamburger Hill. Those same forces began to leave Vietnam shortly after that.

The United States also removed the 500, 1000, 5000, and 10,000 dollar bills from circulation in 1969, and the Supreme Court’s restriction on “obscene elements” was lifted. Finally, this year offered two notable presents to all of the world’s children: Sesame Street and The Very Hungry Caterpillar. Whether you’re looking for myths about the moon landing or have recently flown across the country in a Boeing 747, the year 1969 played a role in making it all possible.

Continue reading to discover more about the events of 1969.

Event
(February 11, 1969) Jennifer Aniston, an American actress who rose to fame on the hit television sitcom Friends (1994–2004) and went on to have a successful film career, was born. Take Friends TV Show Quiz
Advertisements (March 10, 1969) James Earl Ray was sentenced to 99 years in jail after pleading guilty to the assassination of American civil rights icon Martin Luther King, Jr.
(March 17, 1969) Golda Meir became Israel's fourth Prime Minister and the country's first female Prime Minister.
(March 28, 1969) The 34th president of the United States, Dwight D. Eisenhower, died in Washington, D.C.
(April 04, 1969) Denton Cooley, an American surgeon, placed the first full artificial heart in a human; the patient received a donor heart a few days later but died soon after.
Advertisements (May 02, 1969) The British ocean liner Queen Elizabeth 2 sets sail for New York City on her inaugural trip.
(July 16, 1969) Apollo 11, the first mission to land humans on the Moon, is launched from Cape Kennedy, Florida's Kennedy Space Center.
(July 20, 1969) The Eagle lunar landing module, carrying US astronauts Neil Armstrong and Edwin ("Buzz") Aldrin, arrived on the Moon on this day in 1969, and Armstrong became the first person to walk on its surface several hours later.
Happy Birthday! (July 24, 1969) Jennifer Lopez, American actress, singer, and dancer.
Advertisements (August 08, 1969) Photographer Iain Macmillan captures the classic image that forms the cover image of the Beatles' album Abbey Road at a zebra crossing in London.
(October 17, 1969) The Nativity with St. Francis and St. Lawrence by Caravaggio has been stolen from Palermo's Oratory of Saint Lawrence. photo source: wikimedia.org
(November 10, 1969) Sesame Street, a children's television show starring Elmo, Big Bird, and the Cookie Monster, premiered on the National Educational Television network in the United States (later PBS). photo source: wikimedia.org
(November 14, 1969) The Apollo 12 mission was launched with a crew of Charles Conrad, Jr., Richard F. Gordon, Jr., and Alan L. Bean, and it landed on the Moon for the second time five days later. photo source: wikimedia.org
(November 19, 1969) Pelé, a Brazilian football (soccer) player, has scored 1,000 goals in his career. photo source: wikimedia.org
Advertisements (December 04, 1969) Jay-Z, an American rapper and entrepreneur, was born. He was one of hip-most hop's important figures in the 1990s and early 2000s. photo source: wikimedia.org