Major Events
- Feb 4 The Palestine National Congress appoints Yasser Arafat chairman of the PLO
- Feb 5 United States population reaches 200 million
- Apr 7 The Internet's symbolic birth date: publication of RFC 1
- Jul 20 Apollo 11 lunar module carrying Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin lands on the surface of the Moon; Aldrin and Armstrong walk on the moon seven hours later; Michael Collins remains in orbit in the command module
- Jul 20 Apollo 11: US Astronaut Neil Armstrong becomes the first person to step on the moon at 10:56 PM ET (21July, 2:56:15 AM GMT) [1]
- Aug 14 British Army deploys on the streets of Northern Ireland, marking the beginning of Operation Banner
- Sep 1 Colonel Muammar Gaddafi deposes King Idris in the Libyan revolution
- Oct 15 Vietnam Moratorium Day; millions nationwide protest the war
- Nov 15 An estimated 2 million people take part in the Vietnam War Moratorium demonstration across the United States
- Nov 19 Apollo 12's Charles Conrad and Alan Bean become the 3rd and 4th humans on the Moon
- Nov 22 Isolation of a single gene announced by scientists at Harvard University
- Dec 5 Four-node ARPANET network is established between the University of California, Los Angeles, Stanford Research Institute, U.C. Santa Barbara, and the University of Utah
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1969 in Film & TV
- Feb 24 "The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie" film based on novel by Muriel Spark directed by Ronald Neame, starring Maggie Smith (Academy Award Best Actress) premieres in London
- Mar 28 Greek poet and Nobel Prize laureate Giorgos Seferis makes a famous statement on the BBC World Service opposing the junta in Greece
- May 11 British comedy troupe Monty Python forms, made up of Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, and Michael Palin
- Jun 18 "The Wild Bunch", directed by Sam Peckinpah and starring William Holden and Ernest Borgnine, is released
- Jul 14 "Easy Rider", directed by Dennis Hopper, starring himself, Peter Fonda and Jack Nicholson, is released
- Sep 13 "Scooby-Doo Where are You" by Hanna-Barbera debuts on CBS in the US
- Nov 10 "Sesame Street" premieres on PBS TV
1969 in Music
- Jan 12 Atlantic Records releases eponymous debut album of Led Zeppelin in US
- Jun 20 200,000 attend Newport '69, then largest-ever pop concert in Northridge, California. Jimi Hendrix gets $120,000 to appear
- Jul 11 David Bowie releases the single "Space Oddity" 9 days before Apollo 11 lands on the moon
- Aug 15 Woodstock Festival opens in Bethel, New York on Max Yasgur's Dairy Farm; performers include Richie Havens, Tim Hardin, Ravi Shankar, Melanie, Arlo Guthrie, and Joan Baez
- Sep 20 Virtual 'cartoon' band Archies' single "Sugar Sugar" hits #1
- Sep 26 Apple Records releases The Beatles 11th studio album "Abbey Road", their final recordings as a quartet; tops the charts in 11 countries
- Oct 10 "Jesus Christ Superstar" soundtrack album by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice is recorded
- Nov 1 The Beatles' "Abbey Road" album goes #1 in US and stays #1 for 11 weeks
- Dec 6 300,000 attend free concert featuring The Rolling Stones in Altamont, California; the event is marred by violence and four deaths
1969 in Sport
- Mar 1 New York Yankees legend Mickey Mantle announces his retirement due to persistent knee injuries; finishes 18-season career with 536 home runs and .298 batting average
- May 5 Milwaukee Bucks sign #1 NBA Draft pick, star UCLA center Lew Alcindor (Kareem Abdul-Jabbar)
- Jun 8 MLB legend Mickey Mantle gives his farewell retirement speech during "Mickey Mantle Day" at Yankee Stadium, 60,096 see #7 retired
Did You Know?
The first automatic teller machine in the United States is installed in Rockville Center, New York.
More People Born in 1969
Fun Fact About 1969
The NY Times reviews "Slaughterhouse-Five" by Kurt Vonnegut on its publication, saying "you'll either love it, or push it back in the science-fiction corner"
More 1969 Deaths
Articles About 1969
Lunar Landing Makes 'Giant Leap For Mankind'
It was “one giant leap for mankind” as Neil Armstrong stepped from the ladder of his lunar module on this day to become the first man ever to walk on the Moon.July 20Apollo 11 Bootprint
Buzz Aldrin's bootprint, one of the first steps taken on the MoonJuly 21Woodstock Music and Art Fair
Swami Satchidananda addressing the opening ceremony at WoodstockAugust 15Vietnam War Moratorium Demonstration
Millions marched against the Vietnam War outside the White HouseNovember 15
Famous Weddings in 1969
- Jan 18 British actress Audrey Hepburn (39) weds second husband, Italian psychiatrist Andrea Dotti (30); divorce in 1982
- Feb 16 American country singer Tammy Wynette (26) weds American country singer-songwriter George Jones (37), divorced 1975
- Feb 18 Scottish pop singer Lulu (20) weds British rock musician Maurice Gibb (19); divorce in 1973
Famous Divorces in 1969
- Sep 18 Actor Rod Taylor (39) divorces model Mary Hilem after 5 years of marriage
More 1969 Weddings