1963 The biggest news from 1963 was the assassination
of the US President Kennedy which thrust Lyndon Johnson into the role
of president and the murder two days later of Lee Harvey Oswald 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 programs"The Virginian" and
"Lassie". ladies fashion clothes and hairstyles included Fur
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 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
New Ford Cortina $675.00
What Events Happened in 1963
World Religions status: 890 million Christians, 600 million Muslims,
200 million Buddhists, 365 Hindus, 13 million Jews
A hurricane and resulting Tsunami cause Flooding
in East Pakistan Bangladesh kills 22,000
President John F Kennedy assassinated in the United
States
Korea returns to Civilian Rule
Lyndon Johnson Becomes President
An earthquake in Libya destroys the village of Barce
- 500 dead
Typhoon Olive with 110 MPH Winds destroyed most of
the homes on the Island of Saipan
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
Alcatraz federal penitentiary known as "The
Rock" closes
Berlin Wall Opened For 1 Day Passes
1st Beeching Report suggests closing 25% of British
Rail
The Sabin oral Polio Vaccine which is taken
with a lump of sugar is given nationwide in US and UK
Kenya Gains Independence from Britain
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."
Nuclear-powered attack submarine USS Thresher sinks
in the Atlantic Ocean
Pope John XXIII dies
Pope Paul VI is elected by College of Cardinals.
The Great Train Robbery takes place in Buckinghamshire,
England
First US State Lottery in New Hampshire
Yugoslavia declares President Tito President for
Life
Martin Luther King, Jr. delivers his "I
have a dream" speech
Jack Ruby murders John F. Kennedy's suspected
assassin Lee Harvey Oswald live on television.
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.
Popular Films
Cleopatra
The Longest Day
Lawrence of Arabia
Mutiny on the Bounty
To Kill a Mockingbird
Popular Musicians
The Beatles
Roy Orbison
Buddy Holly
The Drifters
Jim Reeves
Popular TV Programs
Coronation Street
The Andy Griffith Show
The Flintstones
Mister Ed
The Avengers
The Dick Van Dyke Show
Technology 1963
AT&T introduces touch tone phones
Flymo Sells first Hover Mower
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
