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1963 The biggest news from 1963 was the assassination of the US President Kennedy on November 22nd which thrust Lyndon Johnson into the role of president and the murder two days later of Lee Harvey Oswold by nightclub owner Jack Ruby. This was a difficult time to become president with the mounting troubles in Vietnam where the Viet Cong Guerrillas had now killed 80 American Advisors and the continued campaign for civil rights by the black community caused violent reactions from whites including Mississippi, Virginia and Alabama where the black civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr was arrested. Films included "The Birds" and "The Great Escape" and popular TV programmes "The Virginian" and "Lassie". ladies fashion clothes and hairstyles included fir boots and towering hair do's for evening wear. In music the beginning of Beatlemania after they release "I Want To Hold Your Hand/I Saw Her Standing There" and "Meet the Beatles". Cost Of Living, - News, Facts and Events, - Movies, TV and Music, - Technology, - Born This Year, World Leaders,



Cost of Living 1963

How Much things cost in 1963
Yearly Inflation Rate USA 1.24%
Yearly Inflation Rate UK 1.8%
Year End Close Dow Jones Industrial Average 762
Average Cost of new house $12,650.00
Average Income per year $5,807.00
Gas per Gallon 29 cents
Average Cost of a new car $3,233.00
Loaf of bread 22 cents
Bedroom Air Conditioner $149.95
Below are some Prices for UK guides in Pounds Stirling

Average House Price 3,160
New Ford Cortina 675


What Events Happened in 1963

World
  • World Religions status: 890 million Christians, 200 million Buddhists, 365 million Hindus, 13 million Jews
Bangladesh
  • A hurricane and resulting Tsunami cause Flooding in East Pakistan Bangladesh kills 22,000
U.S.
  • President John F Kennedy assassinated in the United States
U.S.
  • The Warren Commission is established to investigate the assassination of U.S. President John F. Kennedy
Haiti
  • Hurricane Flora a massive storm kills 6,000 in Haiti, Cuba, Trinidad, and Tobago, Grenada,
South Korea
  • Korea returns to Civilian Rule
UK
  • American Express introduces Credit Cards Into The UK
U.S.
  • Lyndon Johnson Becomes President
U.S.
  • Indiana State Fair Coliseum Explosion kills 74
Libya
  • An earthquake in Libya destroys the village of Barce - 500 dead
Yugoslavia
  • An Earthquake Strikes Skopje, Yugoslavia destroying 80% of the city
Greece
  • Bloodless Military coup deposes President George Papadopoulos
Saipan
  • Typhoon Olive with 110MPH Winds destroyed most of the homes on the Island of Saipan
UK
  • The Profumo Crisis in the UK causing resignations from the cabinet caused by war minister John Profumo having an affair with Christina Wheeler who was also involved with a Soviet Navy officer
U.S.
  • Alcatraz federal penitentiary known as "The Rock" closes
Germany
  • Berlin Wall Opened For 1 Day Passes
UK
  • 1st Beeching Report suggests closing 25% of British Rail
U.S.
  • The Sabin oral Polio Vaccine which is taken with a lump of sugar is given nationwide in US and UK
Kenya
  • Kenya Gains Independence from Britain
U.S.
  • In the Supreme Court case of Gideon v. Wainwright rules that a fair trial "cannot be realized if the poor man charged with [the] crime has to face his accusers without a lawyer to assist him."
U.S.
  • Members of Ku Klux Klan dynamite Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama killing 4 young girls causing US Wide public outrage and Condemnation for the action.
U.S.
  • Studebaker the US Car Maker goes out of business and Ends production
U.S.
  • Nuclear-powered attack submarine USS Thresher sinks in the Atlantic Ocean
Venezuela
  • Student riots break out all over Coro and Valencia, Venezuela.
Vatican
  • Pope John XXIII dies
Vatican
  • Pope Paul VI is elected by College of Cardinals.
Russia
  • The United States and the Soviet Union agree to establish a "hot line" direct communication system between the two nations to prevent a possible Nuclear War.
UK
  • The Great Train Robbery takes place in Buckinghamshire, England
U.S.
  • First US State Lottery in New Hampshire
Yugoslavia
  • Yugoslavia declares President Tito President for Life
U.S.
  • Martin Luther King, Jr. delivers his "I have a dream" speech
U.S.
  • Jack Ruby murders John F. Kennedy's suspected assassin Lee Harvey Oswaldon November 24th live on television.
U.S.
  • James Meredith becomes the first African American to graduate from the University of Mississippi






Technology

  • AT&T introduces touch tone phones


  • Flymo Sells first Hover Mower


  • The first prototype Learjet takes off


  • Zip codes implemented in US


  • Lava Lamp or The Astro Lamp Launched by Edward Craven Walker




    • Inventions Invented by Inventors and Country ( or attributed to First Use )
    Tape Cassette Netherlands ( Philips ) used to record and play audio
    Pull Tab Can As Used For Soda U.S.A. Alcoa Company


    Popular Culture 1963

    This was the year an Insurance firm State Mutual Life Insurance invented the Smiley Face found on anything and everything around the world including T Shirts , it's popularity was at it's peak in the 1960's
    • The Beatles release their first album Please Please Me.


    • The first episode of the BBC television series Doctor Who is broadcast


    • Bob Dylan walks off the Ed Sullivan show


    • Beatles Release I Want To Hold Your Hand/I Saw Her Standing There and Meet the Beatles which is the beginning of Beatlemania.


    • Beatle's Release "She Loves You" in UK which goes to Number 1 for 4 weeks August 23rd


    Popular Films

    • Cleopatra
    • The Longest Day
    • Lawrence of Arabia
    • Mutiny on the Bounty
    • To Kill a Mockingbird

    Check out our Television Programmes From The 60s whenever possible we have included a trailer to jog your memory. Series trailers and more information are found on the decade they started.

    Popular Musicians

    • The Beatles
    • Roy Orbison
    • Buddy Holly
    • The Drifters
    • Jim Reeves

    Popular TV Programmes

    • Coronation Street
    • The Andy Griffith Show
    • The Flintstones
    • Mister Ed
    • The Avengers
    • The Dick Van Dyke Show

    Born This Year 1963

    Big Kenny ( Big & Rich ) This Day In History November 1st

    Tatum O'Neal News And Events From November 5th

    Michael Jordan This Day In History February 17th

    Johnny Depp News And Events From June 6th




    Major World Political Leaders 1963

    Australia Prime Minister Sir Robert Menzies

    Brazil President João Goulart

    Canada Prime Minister John Diefenbaker till April 22,
    Canada Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson from April 22,

    China Chairman of the People's Republic of China Liu Shaoqi

    France President Charles de Gaulle

    Germany Chancellor Konrad Adenauer Till 16 October
    Germany Chancellor Ludwig Erhard From 16 October

    India Prime Minister Jawahar Lal Nehru

    Italy Prime Minister Amintore Fanfani Till 21 June
    Italy Prime Minister Giovanni Leone From 21 June
    Italy Prime Minister Giovanni Leone Till 4 December
    Italy Prime Minister Aldo Moro From 4 December

    Japan Prime Minister Hayato Ikeda

    Mexico President Adolfo López Mateos

    Russia / Soviet Union
    First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union Nikita Khrushchev

    South Africa Prime Minister Hendrik Frensch Verwoerd

    United States President John F. Kennedy Till November 22,
    United States President Lyndon B. Johnson From November 22,

    United Kingdom Prime Minister Harold Macmillan Till 19 October
    United Kingdom Prime Minister Sir Alec Douglas-Home From 19 October

    Political Elections 1963


    Canadian Federal Election 1963 Lester B. Pearson ( Liberal ) defeats John Diefenbaker ( Progressive Conservatives )


    The Information above is taken from our new page that gives world leaders from 1920 to current.
    WorldLeaders