What happened in October 1971?
The top front-page story of each day in October 1971, as it was reported at the time. Click a date to see that day’s full front page and the matching birthday books.
- Oct 1🏛️ Synod of Bishops Opens – Roman Catholic bishops from around the world opened the third Synod of Bishops in the Sistine Chapel with a mass.
- Oct 2🔬 Airborne Atomic Clocks – Two scientists will fly around the world with atomic clocks to test implications of Einstein's theory of relativity.
- Oct 3🏛️ Gandhi Site Dedicated – India dedicates the site in New Delhi where Gandhi was assassinated, marking the 102nd anniversary of his birth.
- Oct 4🌍 Pope Appeals for Aid – Pope Paul appeals for aid to 800,000 sick and starving children from East Pakistan living in refugee camps.
- Oct 5💉 Vaccine for Three Diseases – A new combination vaccine for measles, mumps, and rubella has been developed, promising a single vaccination for these diseases.
- Oct 6🌌 Distant Galaxy Photographed – Radio astronomers produced a detailed 'photograph' of a distant galaxy, comparable to optical telescope images.
- Oct 7🏗️ Nigerian Building Collapse – A five-story apartment under construction in Ibadan, Nigeria, collapsed, killing at least 10 workers and trapping up to 50.
- Oct 8🌍 Chicago Fire Anniversary – Chicagoans mark the 100th anniversary of the Great Chicago Fire, the most destructive conflagration in U.S. history.
- Oct 9🔬 China's Nuclear Advancements – China reportedly matches or surpasses the U.S. and Soviet Union in nuclear research and development, raising global concerns.
- Oct 10🚀 Soviet Moon Rover Ends – The Soviet Union announced that the remote-controlled moon rover, Lunokhod 1, ceased functioning after exceeding its expected operational lifespan.
- Oct 11🏗️ London Bridge Opens – The London Bridge was officially opened in Lake Havasu City, Arizona, marking a unique blend of history and modernity in the desert.
- Oct 12📡 Magnafax Gets Accessories – Magnavox announced new accessories for its Magnafax machines, enhancing their competitiveness in the facsimile market.
- Oct 13🌽 Record Corn Crop – The Agriculture Department estimates the 1971 corn crop at a record 5.4 billion bushels, 31% more than previous forecasts.
- Oct 14🎶 Cherubini Concert Success – A large audience attended the Clarion Concerts at Tully Hall, featuring Cherubini's Missa Solemnis, a rare performance for many musicologists.
- Oct 15🔬 Nobel Prize Winner – Dr. Earl W. Sutherland Jr. won the Nobel Prize in Physiology for discovering cyclic AMP, a key substance in cellular processes.
- Oct 16🌕 Water Vapor Found – Scientists detected geysers of water vapor on the Moon, suggesting potential water pools beneath its surface.
- Oct 17🌍 Shah Celebrates Empire – The Shah of Iran laid a wreath at his father's tomb as the 2,500th anniversary of the Persian Empire celebrations concluded.
- Oct 18✝️ Auschwitz Friar Beatified – Pope beatifies Polish priest Maximilian Kolbe, who sacrificed his life for another in Auschwitz, in a ceremony attended by thousands.
- Oct 19🌕 Water on the Moon? – Scientists from Rice University report possible detection of water geysers on the Moon, raising significant implications for lunar science.
- Oct 20🚀 453d Cosmos in Orbit – The Soviet Union launched the 453rd satellite in its Cosmos series into orbit, marking a significant achievement in space exploration.
- Oct 21🌍 Brandt Wins Nobel Prize – Willy Brandt won the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts in fostering reconciliation between East and West.
- Oct 22🖼️ Louvre Honors Picasso – President Pompidou opened a new homage to Picasso at the Louvre, showcasing his works in the grand hall previously featuring the Mona Lisa.
- Oct 23🌍 Nations Clean Mediterranean – Experts seek solutions to the Mediterranean's environmental crisis, aiming to restore its health and biodiversity.
- Oct 24🏥 Leukemia Center Opens – The Verlon Walker Leukemia Center opened in Chicago, honoring the late Cubs coach who died from the disease.
- Oct 25🎻 Casals Conducts Concert – Pablo Casals, at 94, led a concert at the United Nations, premiering his 'Hymn to the United Nations' to promote peace through music.
- Oct 26🌍 China Admitted to UN – The UN General Assembly voted overwhelmingly to admit Communist China and expel the Nationalist government.
- Oct 27🌍 China Joins U.N – The United Nations voted to admit Communist China, expelling Nationalist China, marking a significant shift in global politics.
- Oct 28🌍 Congo Renamed Zaire – The Congo officially changed its name to the Zaire Republic, reflecting its historical roots linked to the Zaire River.
- Oct 29🇬🇧 Britain Joins EEC – The House of Commons voted 356 to 244 in favor of Britain's membership in the European Economic Community.
- Oct 30🔬 Electricity Heals Fracture – University of Pennsylvania surgeons reported the first successful case of healing an ununited fracture in a human using electricity.
- Oct 31🏗️ Blast Damages Tower – An explosion damaged Britain's tallest building, the Post Office Tower, early today in London.
Happy Birthday! 1971 – The Year in Headlines
The whole of 1971 in real headlines. See the 1971 book →
Born in October? Pick the day
Every birthday in October has its own On This Day in Headlines book: