Featured moment
The Beatles on Ed Sullivan
Seventy-three million Americans watched the Beatles perform, officially launching the "British Invasion" and Beatlemania in the US.
The British Invasion.
The Beatles conquered America, the Civil Rights Act passed, and BASIC made programming accessible.
The Cost of Living in 1964
Gallon of Gas
$0.31
Loaf of Bread
$0.21
Gallon of Milk
$1.05
World Population
3.27 billion
Featured moment
Civil Rights Act of 1964 Signed
The landmark law outlawed discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.
Featured moment
BASIC Programming Language Invented
John Kemeny and Thomas Kurtz created BASIC, designed to allow non-science students to use computers, democratizing programming.
The wider picture
More from 1964
A few more things worth remembering.
Science & Space
Surgeon General's Report on Smoking
The US government officially linked cigarette smoking with lung cancer and heart disease.
World Events
Nelson Mandela Sentenced to Life
At the Rivonia Trial, Mandela and others were sentenced to life in prison for sabotage against the apartheid government.
World Events
Gulf of Tonkin Resolution
Congress granted President Johnson the authority to use military force in Vietnam without a formal declaration of war.
Sports
Muhammad Ali Defeats Sonny Liston
Ali (then Cassius Clay) "shook up the world" by winning the heavyweight championship.
Technology
First Bullet Train (Shinkansen) Begins Service
Japan's high-speed rail network launched in time for the Tokyo Olympics, revolutionizing train travel.
You arrivedin 1964.
The longer view
This was only the opening scene.
Follow the world as it changed around you, from 1964 to today.