Looking back at the 60s and 70s, it’s easy to forget just how many iconic cultural moments happened in these two decades. There were revolutions both literal and figurative, global upheavals, and a war that stretched across the years, but for every moon landing and Woodstock there’s a moment that slipped through the cracks of history. From forgotten political scandals to ecological disasters, these overlooked stories from the 1960s and 70s shaped the present in ways you don’t even know.
The Beatles Almost Broke Up In 1966
Everyone knows that the Beatles broke up in 1970, but few people are aware of the fact that the band nearly called it quits in 1966. At the time, tensions were high in the band due to exhaustion from tour and their famous creative differences. George Harrison and John Lennon both nearly bailed on the foursome after their legendary final concert in San Francisco, but the band stuck it out and recorded the groundbreaking album Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band thus cementing their legacy as one of the greatest musical acts in history.
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The Great Northern Blackout of 1965
On Tuesday, November 9, 1965, the entire northeastern part of the United States and even parts of Canada were plunged into darkness for more than 12 hours following a massive power grid failure. Widespread panic gripped the more than 30 million people across eight states who were without power, especially the more than 800,000 riders who were trapped on the New York Subway System. As scary as this is, the one silver lining is that the evening of the blackout featured the lowest crime numbers of any night in New York City since those records were kept.
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The Cuyahoga River Catches Fire
On June 22, 1969, the Cuyahoga River in Cleveland, Ohio, caught fire when a spark from a passing rail car ignited an oil slick, causing close to $50,000 worth of damage to a nearby railroad bridge and rail yard. This wasn’t the first time the Cuyahoga caught on fire (and it wouldn’t be the last), but this fire drew national attention to the pollution in America’s waterways. This devastating fire inspired multiple pollution control activities that extended to the Clean Water Act, the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement, and the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency.
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The Stonewall Uprising of 1969
Following A Police Raid of the Stonewall Inn, in Greenwich Village, that took place in the early hours of June 28, 1969, about 100 to 150 members of the gay and lesbian community of New York CIty fought back against police officers who were using unnecessary force. Violence rocked the evening after the NYPD hit a handcuffed woman in the head with a nightstick, with bottles, trashcans, rocks, and bricks flying through the air for 45 minutes straight. One night later, a second riot broke out on Christopher Street with thousands of people making their way through the streets in a primal scream of liberation. The Stonewall Riots are ground zero of the modern LGBTQ+ movement, and it’s a moment we should all remember.
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The 1973 Oil Crisis
In 1973, the United States was thrust into a severe oil crisis following the embargo placed by OPEC (Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries) following America’s support of Israel during the 1973 Yom Kippur War. Due to the embargo gas prices skyrocketed, leading to miles long lines at gas stations, and leading to nationwide energy conservation efforts. What should have been a wakeup call to everyone about America’s dependence on oil (both foreign and domestic) came to an end in 1974.
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