1960s Timeline

Latest Podcasts

Politics | Culture | Entertainment | Sports

Feb 3

Edwin Walker Says Gubernatorial Run Part of Fight Against Communism

Feb. 3, 1962 - Edwin A. Walker (pictured in 1957), former Army major general, said today that his race for Governor of Texas was part of his fight against international communism. “My platform is the need to defend the United States under God in a struggle for survival against international communism,” he said. “With nine million others, I want Texans to lead this fight.” Mr. Walker visited state Democratic headquarters yesterday and presented a $1,000 check to get his name o

Feb 3

Virginia May Revoke Charter of American Nazi Party

Feb. 3, 1962 - A proposal to revoke the Virginia charter of the American Nazi party stirred debate in the state’s House of Delegates this week. Critics questioned whether the measure would set a precedent and whether it would suppress free speech. In debate on Thursday, Delegate C. Harrison Mann Jr., an Arlington lawyer and Marine Corps veteran of World War II, assured them on both points. “It does not,” said Mr. Mann, “limit their operations or suppress free speech. They can

Feb 2

Edwin Walker to Run for Governor of Texas as Democrat

Feb. 2, 1962 - Edwin A. Walker (pictured right with evangelist Billy James Hargis), former Army major general, filed today as a Democratic candidate for Governor of Texas. Among his opponents will be Gov. Price Daniel, who also announced his candidacy today. Mr. Walker, 53, listed his occupation as “soldier” on the official filing application. He flew to Austin today in a private plane and refused to answer most questions asked by reporters. Mr. Walker has been affiliated wit

Feb 2

Romney to Announce Decision on Michigan Governor Run by Feb. 10

Feb. 2, 1962 - The political credo of George Romney, the new hope of Michigan Republicans, is a mixture of strongly conservative views and some unorthodox opinions. Mr. Romney, the 54-year-old president of the American Motor Corporation, is being mentioned as a probable candidate for Governor of Michigan and also as a possibility for the Republican Presidential nomination in 1964. Mr. Romney declines to classify himself as a liberal or a conservative. He says that he does not

Feb 2

Tough Talk from Ike to GOP

Feb. 2, 1962 - Dwight D. Eisenhower warned Republicans last night to overhaul the party’s organization and get rid of incompetents if they hope to win in this year’s Congressional and state elections. The former President received top billing from the Republican National Committee on a closed-circuit television hook-up that linked 16 fund-raising dinners and one public rally. The dinners are intended to raise $1.5 million for the 1962 campaign to win control of the House from

Jan 31

Gallo Gang Rescues Six Children from Brooklyn Blaze

Jan. 31, 1962 - Seven members of the Gallo gang rescued six children today in Brooklyn when a fire in a mattress filled a top-floor apartment at 73 President Street with smoke. The gang’s headquarters is at 51 President Street. The seven gangsters had just left a nearby restaurant when they saw smoke pouring from the apartment, which is occupied by Mrs. Sista Biaz and her six children (pictured with three members of the Gallo gang). Mrs. Biaz was shopping and the children app

Jan 29

Lavish Funeral for Lucky Luciano in Naples

Jan. 29, 1962 - A funeral service was held today in Naples for Charles (Lucky) Luciano. After the requiem mass, his body was put in a cemetery chapel to await a decision on whether burial in the United States would be permitted. Luciano’s brother Bartolo — who keeps the family name of Lucania — requested such permission of the U.S. Consulate. Luciano was deported from the U.S. in 1946 because of his criminal record. There were many Luciano friends at the funeral. Some had bee

Jan 29

Senator Goldwater Offers Economic Proposals

Jan. 29, 1962 - Senator Barry Goldwater, Republican of Arizona, listed four possible ways today for the U.S. to meet increasing economic competition from overseas. He said the steps were an alternative to President Kennedy’s proposal for closer ties with the European Common Market. Speaking to 1,000 delegates at the National Cotton Council’s convention in New Orleans, Mr. Goldwater suggested: “fiscal responsibility,” in the form of a balanced budget for four or five years; a

Jan 27

U.S. Pilots Deliver Food and Ammunition to Isolated South Vietnamese Troops

Jan. 27, 1962 - U.S. pilots are risking their lives dropping live pigs and chickens to starving South Vietnamese troops at army outposts along the Laos frontier. Major Charles P. Barnett described today how nine forts, isolated by Communist guerrillas, were resupplied by air after some were out of food and dangerously low on ammunition. The occupants of two outposts had been reduced to eating field mice and bamboo shoots late in December when Major Barnett flew through mounta

Jan 26

Lucky Luciano is Dead

Jan. 26, 1962 - Lucky Luciano (pictured on ground) died of an apparent heart attack at Capodichino airport in Naples today as U.S. and Italian authorities prepared to arrest him in a crackdown on an international narcotics ring. He had just met Martin A. Gosch, an American film and television producer, arriving for final talks on a movie about his life, when he collapsed and died. Luciano, overlord of the New York rackets in the pre-war years, had a longer career than almost

Jan 25

Nixon Campaigns in San Francisco

Jan. 25, 1962 - Richard M. Nixon walked through the Mission district of San Francisco today bidding for votes in his campaign for Governor. The former Vice President stopped passers-by, shook hands, spoke a few words of Spanish, and generally left a trail of smiles. “He’s terrific” and “a great guy” were heard as the Republican candidate invaded the home city of Gov. Edmund G. Brown. Last night, the Democratic Governor assailed Mr. Nixon at a party dinner, in which the Govern

Jan 25

Texas Senator Yarborough Won't Run for Governor

Jan. 25, 1962 - Texas Senator Ralph Yarborough (pictured far left in 1960) took himself out of his state’s gubernatorial race today. The Democratic Senator said that President Kennedy’s advice had been a factor in his decision. He added, however, that the President’s position on his possible candidacy had not been “overriding.” Mr. Yarborough told a news conference that the President telephoned him in December to discuss the gubernatorial question. It was also in December tha

Jan 24

California Governor Brown Formally Declares Candidacy for Re-election, Hits Nixon

Jan. 24, 1962 - California Governor Edmund G. Brown (pictured center in 1959) formally became a Democratic candidate for a second term today with an attack on former Vice President Nixon. In a speech, Gov. Brown accused Mr. Nixon of having labeled Sacramento, the state capital, as merely “a whistle stop on the line to Washington.” The Governor declared that Californians would not permit Mr. Nixon “to convert the Governor’s chair into Nixon-for-President national headquarters.

Jan 23

Former Mob Hitman Found Dead in Attica Prison Cell

Jan. 23, 1962 - Jack Drucker (pictured in 1939), 56, once associated with the Murder Inc. ring, was found dead today in his cell at Attica State Prison. A spokesman at Attica said that Drucker, who was serving 25 years to life, died of a coronary occlusion. Murder, Inc., headed by Louis “Lepke” Buchalter and Albert “The Mad Hatter” Anastasia and composed of Jewish-American and Italian-American gangsters, committed hundreds of murders on behalf of the National Crime Syndicate

Jan 18

Defoliation Efforts Begin in Vietnam

Jan. 18, 1962 - United States planes have sprayed jungle growth along the Saigon-Saint Jacques road in South Vietnam to remove foliage hiding Communist guerrillas. The results are not known yet. The chemical mixture is supposed to kill all trees and brush, but the withering and dropping of leaves may take five days to three weeks. The spraying operation along the highway was accompanied by the dropping of pamphlets assuring farmers that the chemicals were harmless to humans a

Jan 17

Police Commissioner Eugene "Bull" Connor to Seek Nomination for Governor of Alabama

Jan. 17, 1962 - Police Commissioner Eugene “Bull” Connor (pictured) said today that he would seek the nomination for Governor of Alabama in the May 1 Democratic primary. He indicated that the racial issue would be in the fore of his campaign. Mr. Connor, a segregationist, said that Alabama “needs a Governor in the coming four years whom the people can trust completely on this racial issue, one who will do everything that can be done to stop the slaughter of the right of the s

Jan 17

Viet Cong Make Gains with Peasant Population

Jan. 17, 1962 - Despite considerable improvement in its information and propaganda services, the South Vietnamese Government is losing its fight with the Communists for the minds of the civilian population. American officials in South Vietnam say the Viet Cong maintain an edge in the propaganda war because Communist political agents are “closer to the people.” Government representatives spend only a few hours in a village, while clandestine Viet Cong agents live among the vil

Jan 16

U.S. Army Withdraws Tanks from Berlin Border

Jan. 16, 1962 - The U.S. Army has begun withdrawing its armored guard, including 15 tanks, from a camp on the Friedrichstrasse on the border between West and East Berlin. The move, which began last night, was described today by sources as a gesture to the Soviet Union to “normalize” the Berlin situation. An Army spokesman said the purpose of withdrawing the armored infantry task force to Tempelhof Airfield, about two miles from the border, was “to improve the disposition of U

Jan 16

Former Gov. Knight Withdraws from California Race, Boost for Nixon

Jan. 16, 1962 - Former Gov. Goodwin J. Knight (pictured left in 1958) withdrew today from the California gubernatorial race because of ill health. His action removed a major obstacle to former Vice President Nixon’s bid for the Republican gubernatorial nomination. Mr. Nixon expressed “sympathy and best wishes” for Mr. Knight. Gov. Edmund G. Brown, a Democrat, was elected in 1958 after Mr. Knight had been maneuvered out of a bid for re-election by Republican intra-party jockey

Jan 13

Goldwater Urges Conservatism for Republican Party

Jan. 13, 1962 - Senator Barry Goldwater urged Republican party workers today to shape a clearly conservative image for the party. The Arizona conservative was the final speaker at a two-day meeting of the Republican National Committee in Oklahoma City. “The Republican Party has failed to present to this nation a solid political organization unequivocally committed to an easily definable political philosophy,” Mr. Goldwater said. He assailed “two-faced images.” He said the par