Featured moment
Birth Control Pill Approved
The FDA approved Enovid for contraceptive use, launching the sexual revolution and transforming women's lives.
The pill and Psycho.
The birth control pill was approved, Hitchcock terrified audiences in the shower, and JFK debated Nixon on TV.
The Cost of Living in 1960
Gallon of Gas
$0.31
Loaf of Bread
$0.20
Gallon of Milk
$1.04
World Population
3.03 billion
Featured moment
Psycho Released
Alfred Hitchcock's thriller broke taboos and shocked audiences, effectively inventing the modern slasher genre.
Featured moment
First Televised Presidential Debate
John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon faced off; TV viewers thought the telegenic Kennedy won, while radio listeners favored Nixon.
The wider picture
More from 1960
A few more things worth remembering.
World Events
Greensboro Sit-Ins
Four Black college students sat at a segregated Woolworth's lunch counter, sparking a nationwide movement.
Technology
First Working Laser
Theodore Maiman operated the first functioning ruby laser, a technology that would transform medicine, industry, and communications.
Cinema & TV
The Flintstones Premieres
The animated sitcom became the first prime-time cartoon, paving the way for shows like The Simpsons.
Sports
Cassius Clay (Muhammad Ali) Wins Gold
The 18-year-old boxer won light heavyweight gold at the Rome Olympics, launching his legendary career.
You arrivedin 1960.
The longer view
This was only the opening scene.
Follow the world as it changed around you, from 1960 to today.