What happened in May 1963?
The top front-page story of each day in May 1963, as it was reported at the time. Click a date to see that day’s full front page and the matching birthday books.
- May 1🏇 Bonjour Wins Derby Trial – Bonjour wins the 36th Derby Trial at Churchill Downs, marking jockey Shoemaker's 300th stakes victory.
- May 2📈 Stocks Advance in Trading – Stocks rise 1.04 points in brisk trading, with strong performances from auto and chemical sectors despite some declines.
- May 3🎥 American Film Festival – Registrants jam the American Film Festival, celebrating works based on Dylan Thomas with 416 attendees on its second day.
- May 4🚀 Edible Spacecraft Parts – Scientists develop edible materials for spacecraft interiors, potentially serving as food for lunar astronauts.
- May 5🏛️ Notre Dame Celebrates 800 Years – Notre Dame cathedral, a symbol of France, marks 800 years of history and devotion to its people.
- May 6🎨 Russia Offers Art Sale – Russia announces a deal to sell contemporary art in London, marking a significant cultural exchange with the West.
- May 7📈 Stock Market Decline – Stocks retreat broadly as only tobacco issues resist decline; average falls by 1.77 points amid low gains.
- May 8🌌 Telstar II Launch – Telstar II satellite is successfully launched, relaying television broadcasts to Europe and monitoring space radiation.
- May 9💎 Diamond Riches Discovered – A digging operation off South-West Africa yields $1.5 million worth of diamonds from the ocean floor in just eight months.
- May 10🗺️ Red China Moscow Talks – Red China agrees to Moscow talks in June to address ideological rifts, signaling a potential thaw in tensions within the Communist world.
- May 11🖼️ Louvre Opens Delacroix Show – The Louvre celebrates the centennial of painter Eugène Delacroix's death with a special exhibition featuring works from private collections.
- May 12🛣️ Pan-American Highway Opened – The Inter-American section of the Pan-American Highway is officially opened, enhancing connectivity across nations.
- May 13🏙️ Buildings Devastated After Riot – A nine-block area is left in ruins with buildings burning and streets littered with debris following a major riot.
- May 14🚀 Clouds Threaten Flight – Officials hope to launch astronaut Cooper on a 22-orbit trip this morning in Florida despite threatening clouds.
- May 15🕊️ Budapest Lifts Curb – Budapest ends residence restrictions on five bishops, signaling a potential thaw in relations with the Vatican.
- May 16🚀 Cooper's Space Flight – Astronaut Cooper successfully completes multiple orbits, sending fuzzy TV images back to Earth, aiming for a total of 22 orbits.
- May 17🚀 President Hails Flight – President Kennedy congratulates the pilot of a recent space flight, inviting him to the White House for recognition.
- May 18🚀 Orbital Flight Considered – Space officials are considering a six-day orbital flight that could circle Earth 92 times, with Shepard as the probable pilot.
- May 19🌍 Kennedy Hails Civil Rights – President Kennedy praises the Negro civil rights movement at Vanderbilt, emphasizing its importance in U.S. history.
- May 20🚀 Cooper Reports Flight – Astronaut Cooper shares insights from his 22-orbit flight, discussing challenges and expressing confidence in the mission.
- May 21⚖️ Supreme Court Legalizes Sit-Ins – Supreme Court rules that sit-ins against segregation are legal, impacting public policy in four states.
- May 22🚀 Cooper Hailed in Capital – Astronaut Cooper receives a hero's welcome in Washington, celebrated by 200,000 people and honored with a medal from President Kennedy.
- May 23🌍 NATO Atom Force Backed – NATO member nations support a U.S.-British proposal for a collaborative nuclear force in Ottawa.
- May 24📈 Senate Votes Silver End – The U.S. Senate votes to end the silver backing for the dollar, a significant shift in monetary policy.
- May 25🎶 Avant-Garde Music Explored – Pierre Boulez performs and explains 'Marteau Sans Maitre', linking music with poetry in a significant avant-garde presentation.
- May 26🏏 Cricket Turns Pro – The long-standing distinction between amateur and professional cricketers in England is officially blurred as cricket embraces professionalism.
- May 27🌕 Manned Moon Flight Supported – Eight scientists endorse the U.S. moon project, countering critics and reinforcing the mission's importance.
- May 28🌍 Senators Push A-Test Ban – 34 U.S. Senators advocate for a new effort to limit nuclear tests, aiming to ban underwater and aerial explosions.
- May 29🌍 Congo Divides Katanga – Congo Parliament passes a bill to divide Katanga, with Tshombe indicating support for the new province.
- May 30🌍 Truce Plea in Laos – Britain and the Soviet Union jointly appeal for a truce in Laos, urging all factions to cooperate with the truce commission.
- May 31🔬 Joint Atom Smasher Talks – U.S. and Moscow explore collaboration on a joint atom smasher following a friendly tour of Soviet facilities.
Happy Birthday! 1963 – The Year in Headlines
The whole of 1963 in real headlines. See the 1963 book →