What happened in March 1964?
The top front-page story of each day in March 1964, as it was reported at the time. Click a date to see that day’s full front page and the matching birthday books.
- Mar 1🌍 Peace Corps Celebrates – The Peace Corps marks its third anniversary, showcasing its success and expansion, with over a dozen nations now adopting similar programs.
- Mar 2🚀 Echo 2 Launched – The U.S. Echo 2 communications satellite, used for radio experiments, is dubbed the Friendship Sputnik by Soviet officials.
- Mar 3🌋 Volcano Erupts in Chile – The Villarrica Volcano erupted, causing rockslides and melting snow torrents. Authorities feared casualties, but heavy rains hindered search efforts.
- Mar 4🌍 Canada Barley Sale – Canada announced the sale of 16.3 million bushels of barley to Communist China, enhancing agricultural trade relations.
- Mar 5🎭 Met Opera Presents Onegin – The Metropolitan Opera presents Tchaikovsky's 'Eugene Onegin' tonight, conducted by Thomas Schippers.
- Mar 6🚀 Gemini Spacecraft Launch – A Gemini spacecraft was joined to a Titan 2 rocket for its upcoming unmanned flight, marking a significant step in the U.S. space program.
- Mar 7👑 New Greek King Crowned – Constantine becomes King of the Hellenes in a palace ceremony, following his father's death, marking a new chapter for Greece.
- Mar 8🌍 World's Fair Flower Show – The 47th International Flower Show opened in New York, themed 'The World's Fair of Flowers,' showcasing diverse floral exhibits.
- Mar 9🎨 Van Gogh Exhibit Planned – The Guggenheim Museum will showcase 120 works by Vincent Van Gogh from April 2 to June 28, marking a significant cultural event.
- Mar 10🏛️ Venezuelan Succession – Raúl Leoni will be inaugurated as Venezuela's president, marking the first peaceful transfer of power between elected leaders in the country.
- Mar 11👶 Queen Elizabeth's Son – Queen Elizabeth II gave birth to her third son, the fourth child in the family, at Buckingham Palace.
- Mar 12🏛️ Lodge Wins New Hampshire – Ambassador Henry Cabot Lodge secured a surprising victory in the New Hampshire Republican primary, garnering significant write-in votes.
- Mar 13🔬 Stone Age Temple Builders – Ancient Britons used advanced geometrical systems in building stone temples about 4,000 years ago, rivaling Pythagoras and Euclid.
- Mar 14🌊 Flood Devastation Seen – President Johnson flew over the flooded Ohio River, pledging U.S. aid after witnessing extensive property damage.
- Mar 15🏛️ Ruby Sentenced to Death – Jack L. Ruby was sentenced to death for killing Lee Harvey Oswald, the accused assassin of President Kennedy, in a trial watched by millions.
- Mar 16🏆 Siamese Twins Separated – Siamese twins joined at the abdomen were successfully separated in a recent operation, marking a significant medical achievement.
- Mar 17✝️ Pope Respects Judaism – Pope Paul VI expressed deep respect for Judaism as the foundation of all religions during a meeting with Jewish leaders.
- Mar 18🛩️ Woman Pilot's Solo Trip – A young woman pilot took off in a second-hand plane, aiming to be the first woman to fly solo around the world.
- Mar 19🏅 First Sub-Four-Minute Mile – Peter Snell runs the first sub-four-minute mile in Africa, clocking in at 3:56.6 seconds during a track meet in Durban.
- Mar 20🏗️ First Auto Tunnel Opens – The Great St. Bernard Tunnel between Italy and Switzerland officially opened to automobile traffic, enhancing cross-border travel.
- Mar 21🌍 Iceland Splitting Open – Scientists report Iceland is splitting from north to south, supporting continental drift theory.
- Mar 22🎨 U.S. Horse Wins Grand National – Team Spirit, an American-owned horse, won the Grand National Steeplechase, becoming the first U.S. winner since 1938.
- Mar 23🎨 El Greco Exhibition – A 16th-century painting by El Greco, valued over $95,000, will be displayed at the New York World's Fair Spanish pavilion.
- Mar 24🖼️ Van Gogh Art Arrives – 120 works by Vincent Van Gogh arrived at Kennedy International Airport for an exhibition at the Guggenheim Museum from April 2 to June 28.
- Mar 25🚀 Space Test Delayed – NASA postponed a test of a device designed for safe space capsule landings due to weather conditions.
- Mar 26🌍 Tanker Explosion Reported – An explosion ripped through a tanker off the Virginia coast, breaking the vessel in two. Some crew members were reported injured.
- Mar 27🚀 Moon Capsule Test – The design for the moon landing capsule passed its final examination, with 20 units to be built for testing and flights.
- Mar 28🌊 Tidal Wave Alert – A tidal wave alert was issued for all Hawaiian Islands, urging lowland residents to evacuate to safer grounds.
- Mar 29🌍 Alaska Earthquake Devastates – A massive earthquake in Alaska causes widespread destruction and tidal waves, prompting emergency declarations and rescue efforts.
- Mar 30🌍 Alaska Earthquake Damage – A major earthquake in Alaska caused extensive damage, with losses estimated at $250 million, prompting calls for federal aid.
- Mar 31🌊 Alaska Earthquake Impact – The largest recorded earthquake in North America struck Alaska, prompting significant economic concerns and calls for federal aid.
Happy Birthday! 1964 – The Year in Headlines
The whole of 1964 in real headlines. See the 1964 book →
Born in March? Pick the day
Every birthday in March has its own On This Day in Headlines book: