What happened in February 1964?
The top front-page story of each day in February 1964, as it was reported at the time. Click a date to see that day’s full front page and the matching birthday books.
- Feb 1🏅 U.S. Olympic Six Wins – The U.S. hockey team defeated Germany 8-0 in the Winter Olympics, marking their first victory in the games.
- Feb 2🌌 Ranger Moon Mission – Ranger 6 is on its way to the moon, equipped with cameras to capture close-up images, marking a significant step in lunar exploration.
- Feb 3🏅 Dijkstra Wins Gold – Sjoukje Dijkstra of the Netherlands won the Olympic gold medal in figure skating, impressing the crowd with her performance in Innsbruck.
- Feb 4🔬 Particles Found in Leukemia – Scientists reported discovering particles resembling viruses in the blood of children with leukemia at a virology symposium.
- Feb 5🏅 McDermott Wins Gold Medal – Terry McDermott won the Olympic 500-meter speed-skating championship, breaking the record with a time of 40.1 seconds in Innsbruck.
- Feb 6🌍 Aguinaldo Dies – Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo, hero of the Philippine independence struggle, died at 94 in Veterans Memorial Hospital.
- Feb 7🎤 Tabernacle Choir Tour – The Mormon Tabernacle Choir will tour seven major cities this summer, including a performance at the New York World's Fair.
- Feb 8🏅 Canada Wins Olympic Gold – Canada's four-man bobsled team clinched its first gold medal at the IX Winter Olympics in Innsbruck, Austria.
- Feb 9🏔️ U.S. Skiers Shine – Billy Kidd and Jimmy Heuga secured silver and bronze medals in men's slalom at the Winter Olympics, marking a historic achievement for U.S. skiing.
- Feb 10🏅 Olympics Conclude in Innsbruck – The IX Olympic Winter Games ended with a grand ceremony in Innsbruck, Austria, celebrating athletic achievements and camaraderie.
- Feb 11🚀 R.C.A. Propulsion System – R.C.A. developed a new electronic propulsion system for spacecraft, enabling speeds over 100,000 miles per hour for future missions.
- Feb 12🌍 Japan Adopts I.M.F. Rule – Japan's Cabinet approved acceptance of Article 8 of the International Monetary Fund, banning foreign exchange control for balance of payments.
- Feb 13🏔️ New Mountain Range Found – A Navy plane crew discovered a new mountain range in Antarctica, marking a significant geographical find.
- Feb 14🏗️ New Port Planned – France announced plans to construct a large port capable of accommodating supertankers over 70,000 tons, located 30 miles west of Marseilles.
- Feb 15🚀 Ranger 7 Launch Delay – The launch of the Ranger 7 spacecraft was postponed for further study, impacting plans for lunar exploration.
- Feb 16🔬 Galileo's 400th Year Hailed – Italy commemorated the 400th anniversary of Galileo's birth with celebrations in schools, led by President Antonio Segni.
- Feb 17🏛️ Papandreou Party Wins – George Papandreou's Center Union party won a decisive victory in Greece's national election, securing a majority in Parliament.
- Feb 18⚖️ Supreme Court Ruling – The Supreme Court ruled that Congressional districts must be equal in population, impacting minority voting protections.
- Feb 19🌍 Quakes Rock Azores Isle – Strong tremors hit the Azores, prompting an international rescue fleet to evacuate 20,000 residents from the devastated São Jorge island.
- Feb 20🌋 Azores Earthquake Refugees – Over 1,500 refugees fled São Jorge in the Azores after four days of earthquakes, reaching safety on the neighboring island of Terceira.
- Feb 21🌍 U.S.-Russian Cultural Pact – The U.S. and Soviet Union will sign their fourth cultural exchange agreement in Moscow on Saturday.
- Feb 22🌍 Model of St. Peter's Tomb – A model of the Tomb of St. Peter arrived aboard the Italian liner Leonardo Da Vinci for the Vatican pavilion at the World's Fair.
- Feb 23🏛️ Shakespeare's 400th Anniversary – Britain plans to commemorate Shakespeare's 400th birthday with five stamps featuring his portrait, a historic first for non-monarchs.
- Feb 24🌍 Sharp Quake Jolts Athens – A sharp earthquake shook Athens before dawn, prompting many residents to flee into the streets for safety.
- Feb 25🔭 New Telescope Unveiled – A new telescope featuring a big quartz mirror is set to enhance the search for distant stars and explore unknown areas of the universe.
- Feb 26🥇 Clay Wins Heavyweight Title – Cassius Clay became the heavyweight champion after Sonny Liston failed to answer the bell for the seventh round due to injury.
- Feb 27🚆 Chou's Near Miss – Chinese Premier Chou Enlai narrowly escaped an accident when his car was nearly struck by an express train in Ceylon.
- Feb 28🥊 Clay Adopts Islam – Cassius Clay announces his adoption of Islam, calling it the best way to achieve lasting peace after extensive study.
- Feb 29🏦 Dow Hits 800 Mark – The Dow-Jones industrial average closed above 800 for the first time, marking a significant milestone in U.S. stock market history.
Happy Birthday! 1964 – The Year in Headlines
The whole of 1964 in real headlines. See the 1964 book →