If you were born in 1964, you were born in the same year as the liquid crystal display, Nike, the first bullet train, the BASIC programming language, the Ford Mustang, VCR, bubble wrap, and more. Violence in reaction to civil rights continues, the Vietnam war continues, and Beatlemania takes over the U.S. this year.
Interesting Statistics from 1964
- U.S. population: 191.89 million
- Worldwide population: 4.38 billion
- Life expectancy: 70.2 years
- Price of gas: 30 cents per gallon
- Price of a new house: $13,050
- Annual income: $6,000
Top News in 1964
- President Johnson declares a “war on poverty” and introduces Medicare and Medicaid.
- The Civil Rights Act of 1964 is signed into law.
- The Gulf of Tonkin Resolution allows the president free reign in Vietnam.
If You Were Born in 1964, Your Parents Witnessed These Historic Events
- The perpetrators of The Great Train Robbery in Britain are convicted.
- Draft cards are burned in protest to the Vietnam War.
- Race riots occur in Philadelphia and then Harlem.
- Martin Luther King Jr. receives the Nobel Peace Prize.
- The Beatles reach #1 on American music charts, leading to a resurgence in the popularity of British culture as a whole.
- The television series “Jeapardy!” debuts.
- The Rolling Stones debut.
- Britain abolishes the death penalty.
- The Mariner 4 is launched and becomes the first spacecraft to reach Mars.
- The Supreme Court rules that businesses such as motels cannot deny accommodation to people of color.
- The Palestinian Liberation Organization is founded.
- Nelson Mandela and others are condemned to life imprisonment in South Africa.
1964 Pop Culture
Sports
- 1964 World Series: St. Louis Cardinals defeat New York Yankees 4-3.
- 1964 NFL Championship: Cleveland Browns defeat Baltimore Colts 27–0.
- 1964 NBA Championship: Boston Celtics defeat San Francisco Warriors 4-1.
- 1964 Stanley Cup: Toronto Maple Leafs defeat Detroit Red Wings 4-3.
Arts
- Top-grossing movies in 1964: “Mary Poppins,” “My Fair Lady,” “Goldfinger”
- Top singles in 1964: “I Want to Hold Your Hand,” “She Loves You,” “Hello, Dolly!”
- Top books in 1964: “The Spy Who Came in from the Cold,” “Four Days,” “Shadow and Act,” “Why We Can’t Wait”
Who Else Was Born in 1964?
- Jeff Bezos
- Michelle Obama
- Boris Johnson
- Courtney Cox
- Biz Markie
- Eazy-E
- Keanu Reeves
- Wendy Williams
Who Died in 1964?
- Herbert Clark Hoover
- Douglas MacArthur
- Harpo Marx