The 1960s: Nostalgic Moments in History and Pop Culture

The 1960s were a game-changing decade no matter how you look at it. In terms of culture, there was rock music, pop art, and unforgettable films like The Sound of Music. In terms of civil rights, there was the success of desegregation as well as the tragic death of Martin Luther King Jr. In terms of science, there was the monumental moon landing of 1969.

The TV show American Bandstand began back in 1956, was massively popular in the 1960s and continued being well-watched until its final episode in 1989. For that entire four-decade run, Dick Clark – known as “America’s oldest teenager” – hosted the show.

In the late 1950s – March of 1959 to be exact – the Barbie doll was unleashed onto the consumer market. It picked up steam and then exploded in popularity during the 1960s. In 1961, Barbie’s boyfriend Ken was added to the mix.

The 1960 Summer Olympics were held in Rome, Italy, and featured 17 different sports. When it came to boxing, 18-year-old Cassius Clay won the gold medal for light-heavyweight boxing.

Toward the end of 1960, the animated sitcom The Flintstones first premiered. It introduced audiences to the Flintstones (Fred, Wilma, and their two kids), the Rubbles (Barney, Betty, and their son), and a whole host of other characters.

The original I Love Lucy sitcom was composed of 180 episodes that ran from 1951 to 1957. During that time, it was one of the most popular TV shows to hit the American market. People loved Lucy (played by Lucille Ball) and Ricky Ricardo (played by Desi Arnaz).

When the Etch a Sketch debuted at a German toy fair in 1959, it was a flop. By the next year, however, it was a hit. That’s because The Ohio Art Company bought “The Magic Screen” from its French inventor, rebranded it “Etch a Sketch”, and sold it on the American market.

The singer-songwriter Bob Dylan – called the “voice of his generation” (a title he was uncomfortable with) –  released the self-titled Bob Dylan album in 1962. Although it didn’t bring him overnight success, it was a respectable first album with blues, gospel, folk covers, and originals.

Station wagons have been around since the early 1900s –  basically since the invention of cars themselves. All the big players – Chrysler, Ford, AMC, Dodge – produced their own versions. The height of their popularity came in the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s.

Sesame Street just seems like one of those shows that have been around forever. However, that’s not the case. On November 10th, 1969, it made its debut. Although it had some controversy, most TV audiences immediately took to Big Bird, Oscar the Grouch, the Cookie Monster, and others.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. – shown at the Lincoln Memorial below – was an influential civil rights leader during the 1950s and 1960s. During that time, he withstood a lot of verbal and physical abuse alongside multiple arrests. However, the civil rights cause gained significant momentum.

The Beatles began their music career in Liverpool in 1960. They had some fame in the UK and Europe during the early 1960s, but it wasn’t until their first US visit that their fame really exploded. That’s in large part due to a very famous TV appearance on the Ed Sullivan show.

Tang – as you can see below – doesn’t look that appetizing. Yet despite appearances, the powdered drink was a huge hit in the 1960s. A big part of that was due to its use by John Glenn during his 1962 Mercury space flight. 

A beehive isn’t just the place where bees make all their honey. It was also an incredibly popular hairstyle from the 1960s. First created and debuted by hairstylist Margaret Vinci Heldt in 1960, it quickly caught on and was popular throughout the decade.

In 1961, baseball had a huge year. The right-fielder Roger Maris and center fielder Mickey Mantle, both of the New York Yankees, were competing to break Babe Ruth’s legendary home-run record. It was Maris who eventually did it on October 1st, 1961. 

The first televised presidential debate came in 1960, more specifically on September 26 of 1960. It was between Senator John F. Kennedy (for the Democrats) and Vice President Richard Nixon (for the Republicans).

Bikes have been loved ever since they came out in the late 19th century. That being said, they became extra loved in the 1960s when Schwinn came out with the banana bike. The high-rise handlebars and large padded seat made it look like a motorcycle.

In 1966, singer Nancy Sinatra released the song “These Boots Are Made for Walkin.” The boots that were made for walkin in the music video were go-go boots. Contrary to most boots that stayed around the ankles, the go-go boots came up right below the knee. 

Some kids enjoy having others cook and bake for them, but others enjoy doing the cooking and baking for themselves. Those industrious kids were the perfect demographic for the Easy-Bake Oven.

In the late 1950s, a Danish woodworker named Thomas Dam created the first troll dolls. Unable to buy his daughter a Christmas doll, he decided to carve one instead – hoping it would bring good luck along with holiday cheer.

The artist and cultural icon Andy Warhol is most commonly associated with the Pop Art movement of the 1950s and 1960s. The 1960s in particular were fruitful (and profitable) for Warhol.

The 1960s was the decade of the space race between the US and the Soviet Union. It began with the 1957 launch of Sputnik (by the USSR) and reached a climax with the 1969 moon landing (by the US).

Swimming caps became more or less mandatory for those who wanted to swim in public pools during the 1960s. They came in a variety of funky designs, including flowers and seashells, and helped to keep hair dry and safe from the chemicals in pools and oceans.

The Hollywood Walk of Fame is such an iconic part of the film industry that it seems like it has been there forever. However, like many things in Hollywood, that’s all an illusion. The first Hollywood star was laid down on February 9, 1960.

The notorious Alcatraz prison, also called “The Rock”, was closed for good on March 21, 1963. In its 30 or so years of operation, it held criminals like Al Capone, George “Machine Gun” Kelly, and Alvin “Creepy” Karvis. 

Alongside talking about “the vibe,” one of the most common slang expressions of the 1960s was “far out.” Music was far out, stories were far out, art was far out – nearly everything was far out. The overused word originally came from jazz circles and referred to particularly avant-garde kinds of jazz.

In 1963, the book The Feminine Mystique was published and within three years it sold 3 million copies. This groundbreaking book, written by Betty Friedan, is widely regarded as sparking second-wave feminism. In the picture below, the actress Ava Gardner is seen holding a copy.

Cinema lovers had a lot to look forward to in the 1960s – everything from Easy Rider to the West Side Story came out during the decade. One of the most beloved musicals was, of course, The Sound of Music.

On January 23, 1960, the Trieste became the first deep-diving submersible to make it to the bottom of Marianas Trench. Inside were two explorers: the US Navy Lieutenant Donald Wash and the Swiss oceanographer Jacques Piccard (the son of the guy who designed the boat).

Although tie-dying has been around for a very long time – early examples stretch back to 5th century China and 6th century Peru – it really took off toward the end of the 1960s. Rock stars like Janis Joplin helped to popularize the psychedelic style.

The 1960s were a huge decade for space travel. The “space race” between the Soviet Union and the United States was well underway. The Soviets released Sputnik in 1957, so President JFK announced an ambitious plan to put a man on the moon.

The “3 Days of Peace and Music” that was Woodstock Music Festival 1969 attracted nearly 400,000 fans. During those semi-rainy days, 32 different acts took to the stage. The musicians included a who’s who of the 60s rock scene: Janis Joplin, the Grateful Dead, and, of course, Jimi Hendrix.

Robert Francis Kennedy (or RFK) was the brother of President John F. Kennedy and a politician in his own right. In the early 1960s, he was United States Attorney General. In the mid-1960s, he was the Senator from New York. 

Most music and movies considered to be “ahead of their time” were poorly received during their time. This was the case with director Stanley Kubrick’s sci-fi film 2001: A Space Odyssey. The expensive and epic film was first released in 1968 and a lot of critics were harsh toward it.

The 1960s were a tragic decade when it came to the assassination of influential leaders. In 1963, John F. Kennedy was killed; in 1965, it was Malcolm X taken too soon; and in 1968, Martin Luther King, Jr. met his demise.

The 1960s is well-known as the decade of civil rights and social change. A big part of this was fighting against segregation in schools, businesses, and public life. For example, businesses like Woolworths in Greensboro, North Carolina refused to serve African Americans.

From tie-dye shirts to go-go boots, the 1960s was a decade of new fashions. One of the most iconic pieces of clothing from that era is the miniskirt. Although its exact origins are unknown, most people trace it back to either Mary Quant, a British designer.

Many of the Gen X stars who came to define music in the 80s, 90s, and early 2000s were born in the late 1960s. For alternative rock and grunge music, 1967 was a big year because Kurt Cobain (of Nirvana), Billy Corgan (of Smashing Pumpkins), and Scott Weiland (of Stone Temple Pilots) were all born.

On February 17th, 1965, comedian Joan Rivers made her first appearance on The Tonight Show. Although she had been performing at New York comedy clubs alongside Richard Pryor, George Carlin, Woody Allen, and others, this TV appearance really boosted her career. 

The 1960s was a decade of scientific advancement and literary achievement. Although all Nobel Prize winners are inspiring, the 60s had some particularly memorable ones. For example, in 1962 the author John Steinbeck won the Nobel Prize in Literature.