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On the date

Thursday, April 13, 1961

From the day

Memories from that day

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The Headlines

RUSSIAN ORBITED THE EARTH ONCE, OBSERVING IT THROUGH PORTHOLES; SPACE FLIGHT LASTED 108 MINUTES; FLIER ACCLAIMED Talked to the Ground by Radio-Reported Visibility as Good Russian Orbited Earth Once, Observing It Through Portholes, on 108-Minute Flight SPACE FLIER WINS WORLD'S ACCLAIM Hailed by Soviet Premier as an 'Immortal' -- Talked to Ground by Radio

Read in The New York Times →

#1 on the Billboard Hot 100

Blue Moon

The Marcels

The must-have

Slip 'N Slide

Slang

Slang of the decade

General

bummerfoxhunkscam

Hippie

flower powergroovyheavyout of sightright on

Surfer

cowabungahang tenwipe outgnarly

Catchphrases of 1961

  • Ask not what your country can do for you

Tech Check

Space Capsule (Vostok/Mercury), Electric Toothbrush & Industrial Robots (Unimate).

Cost of Living (1960)

Loaf of Bread

$0.20

Gallon of Gas

$0.31

Average Home

$11,900

New Car

$2,600

Time Elapsed

23,795 days ago

(65 years, 70 days)