What happened in March 1969?
The top front-page story of each day in March 1969, 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⛸️ World Figure Skating Champion – Wood captures the World Figure Skating Championship, marking the U.S.'s first title in a decade.
- Mar 2📈 Nixon's Arms Talks Urged – President Nixon emphasizes the urgency of arms talks with the Soviet Union, pledging to consult European allies.
- Mar 3✈️ Concorde's Maiden Flight – The supersonic Concorde airliner successfully completes its 28-minute maiden flight, marking a significant milestone in aviation history.
- Mar 4🚀 Apollo Links Lunar Module – Apollo spaceship successfully links up with lunar module in first maneuver for moon landing test.
- Mar 5🚀 Apollo 9 Mission Success – Apollo 9 successfully tested its lunar module in orbit, proving vital linkup capabilities for future moon missions.
- Mar 6📈 Gold Stocks Rise – Gold stocks gain as the market rises; the Dow Index climbs by 3.60, continuing a rally among blue-chip stocks.
- Mar 7🚀 First Spacewalk Test – Astronaut Schweickart conducts the first self-contained spacewalk, testing life-support systems for lunar missions.
- Mar 8🚀 Astronauts Dock Lunar Ship – Two astronauts successfully fly and dock a lunar ship, bringing the July moon landing closer to reality.
- Mar 9🚀 Apollo Maneuver Delayed – Apollo mission maneuver delayed briefly due to sloshing fuel; main rocket fired to lower orbit around Earth.
- Mar 10🏌️ Citrus Open Golf Win – Still cards a 70 for a total of 278 to win the Citrus Open Golf tournament in Florida.
- Mar 11📰 Job Growth Record – U.S. job rolls increased by 380,000 in February, reaching a total of 70 million, with unemployment steady at 3.3%.
- Mar 12🏟️ Knicks Rout 76ers – Knicks defeat 76ers 121-101, moving within one game of second place; Debusschere scores 38 points and grabs 17 rebounds.
- Mar 13⚖️ High Court Wiretap Plea – Justice Agency requests Supreme Court to reconsider its ruling on wiretaps, impacting privacy laws.
- Mar 14🚀 Apollo 9 Splashdown – Apollo 9 successfully splashed down, paving the way for the upcoming summer moon landing mission.
- Mar 15🖼️ Paul Delvaux's Art – Belgian surrealist Paul Delvaux showcases his nude ladies and stripe paintings at Staempfli gallery.
- Mar 16🏀 Drake Advances NCAA Semi-Finals – Drake beats Colorado State, 84-77, securing a spot in the NCAA semi-finals with a late-game surge.
- Mar 17✈️ Jet Crash in Venezuela – At least 150 die and 100 are injured as a jet falls into a Venezuelan suburb, marking a tragic aviation disaster.
- Mar 18🏙️ Moscow Proposes New Consulates – Moscow suggests establishing new consulates in San Francisco and Leningrad to enhance diplomatic contacts.
- Mar 19🧪 Periodic Table Centenary – The Periodic Table of Elements celebrates its 100th anniversary, marking a milestone in the field of chemistry and scientific discovery.
- Mar 20🏀 Bucks Win Coin Toss – The Milwaukee Bucks win a coin toss, securing the first overall pick in the NBA draft to select Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
- Mar 21🏔️ Austria Wins Giant Slalom – Miss Rauter of Austria captures World Cup Giant Slalom in a close finish, with top 9 separated by half a second.
- Mar 22⛷️ Giavonoli Wins Slalom – Giavonoli of Switzerland triumphs in World Cup Giant Slalom, while Matt of Austria suffers an injury during the race.
- Mar 23🏁 Ford GT-40 Wins – Ford GT-40 triumphs in the 12-Hour Sebring Race, showcasing drivers' skills as cars navigate challenging turns.
- Mar 24🏎️ Ford GT-40 Wins – Record set by Ford GT-40 in Sebring Race, clocking 103.363 M.P.H., with Ferrari finishing second.
- Mar 25🔬 Water Found on Mars – 'Proof' of water on Mars reported, supporting the idea that life could exist on the planet.
- Mar 26📈 London Stock Recovery – Prices extend strong recovery trend on the London Stock Exchange with industrials posting significant gains.
- Mar 27💻 New LSI Computer Unveiled – A groundbreaking LSI computer is unveiled, boasting more parts than 50 traditional TV sets, marking a significant technological advancement.
- Mar 28📈 Stock Market Rises – Stock prices advance as peace talks in Vietnam show progress, boosting investor confidence.
- Mar 29🔬 Microscope Invented – A new microscope has been invented to photograph heat images, showcasing advancements in scientific imaging technology.
- Mar 30🎨 Brueghel Art Comes Alive – The Art of Brueghel comes to life in the streets of Belgium, showcasing the vibrant works of the renowned artist.
- Mar 31🏌️ Henry Wins Golf Tournament – Henry posts a score of 70 for a total of 278, winning the $200,000 National Airlines Golf by a stroke.
Happy Birthday! 1969 – The Year in Headlines
The whole of 1969 in real headlines. See the 1969 book →
Born in March? Pick the day
Every birthday in March has its own On This Day in Headlines book: