If you were born in 1963, you were born in the same year as the lava lamp, Comcast, e-cigarettes, zip codes, touch-tone phones, pull tab soda cans, and more. The Cold War and Civil Rights Movement continue, big hairdos become fashionable, and Beatlemania creeps into the U.S. Sadly, 1963 was the year President John F. Kennedy was assassinated by Lee Harvey Oswald.
Interesting Statistics from 1963
- U.S. population: 189.24 million
- Worldwide population: 4.38 billion
- Life expectancy: 69.9 years
- Price of gas: 29 cents per gallon
- Price of a new house: $12,650
- Average wage: $5,807
Top News in 1963
- President John F. Kennedy is assassinated. Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson becomes the new president. Lee Harvey Oswald, who was thought to be the assassin, is murdered not long after.
- Dr. Martin Luther King gives the famous speech “I Have a Dream” at a march on Washington.
If You Were Born in 1963, Your Parents Witnessed These Historic Events
- Alcatraz, the U.S. prison famed for housing the most dangerous criminals, is permanently shut down.
- The Partial Nuclear Test Ban Treaty is approved by the Senate.
- The U.S. and Russia agree to establish a communication hot line to prevent nuclear war.
- Yugoslavia becomes the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia under President Tito.
- Valentina Tereshkova becomes the first woman in space.
- The first state lottery is run in New Hampshire
- The Beatles release their first album.
1963 Pop Culture
Sports
- 1963 World Series: Los Angeles Dodgers defeat New York Yankees 4-0.
- 1963 NFL Championship: Chicago Bears defeat New York Giants 14–10.
- 1963 NBA Championship: Boston Celtics defeat Los Angeles Lakers 4-2.
- 1963 Stanley Cup: Toronto Maple Leafs defeat Detroit Red Wings 4-1.
Arts
- Top-grossing movies in 1963: “Cleopatra,” “How the West Was Won,” “It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World”
- Top singles in 1963: “Sugar Shack,” Surfin’ U.S.A.,” “The End of the World,”
- Top books in 1963: “The Shoes of the Fisherman,” “Happiness Is a Warm Puppy,” “The Making of the English Working Class,” “Where the Wild Things Are”
Who Else Was Born in 1963?
- Michael Jordan
- Johnny Depp
- Brad Pitt
- Whitney Houston
- John Stamos
- Kevin Chamberlin
- Lisa Kudrow
- Conan O’Brien
Who Died in 1963?
- John F. Kennedy
- W.E.B. Du Bois
- Robert Frost