Cassius Clay (later Muhammad Ali) became world heavyweight boxing champion by defeating Sonny Liston.
13 APRIL
At the age of 32, Chinmoy Kumar Ghose
came to the West. He arrived at New York’s JFK Airport.
22 APRIL
The New York World’s Fair opened in Queens. It featured the futuristic Unisphere.
27 MAY
India’s first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, died.
12 JUNE
In South Africa, Nelson Mandela was convicted of treason and sentenced to life imprisonment. He was moved to a jail cell on Robben Island.
18 JULY
Race riots erupted in New York City.
7 AUGUST
Congress passed Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, giving President Johnson broad military powers in North Vietnam. The resolution amounted to a declaration of war.
10-24 OCTOBER
The Summer Olympics was held in Tokyo.
14 OCTOBER
Civil rights leader, Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for advocating a policy of non-violence.
21 NOVEMBER
New York’s Verrazano-Narrows Bridge opened. It was the world’s longest suspension bridge at the time.
3 DECEMBER
Police arrested 824 students at the University of California at Berkley after they staged a massive sit-in.
