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On the date

Friday, May 5, 1961

From the day

Memories from that day

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The Headlines

GOVERNOR PLANS INQUIRY ON BINGO AND LICENSE UNIT; Will Name Moreland Act Investigator in Wake of Testimony on Graft LOTTERY CHIEF CHIDED Rockefeller Says Hannah Tries to Shift Blame for Shortcomings in Work Governor Sets Inquiry on Bingo And Control of Games by State

Read in The New York Times →

#1 on the Billboard Hot 100

Runaway

Del Shannon

The must-have

Slip 'N Slide

On This Day

  • Project Mercury: Alan Shepard becomes the first American to travel into outer space, on a sub-orbital flight.

    Wikipedia →

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

23,773 days ago

(65 years, 48 days)