The Sixties Chronology
This page will present all the dates and events listed in my Sixties
Date Machine database, without selecting any particular thread to present.
(Use the Digger Chronology page to view the events and dates that are
specific to that timeline.)
| Oct 07, 1955 (Friday) |
First Reading of "Howl" by Allen Ginsberg. More Info
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The poetry reading at the 6 Gallery in San Francisco was one of the defining moments of the Beat Movement.
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| Dec 01, 1955 (Thursday) |
Arrest of Rosa Parks leads to the Montgomery Bus Boycott. More Info
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Rosa Parks refuses to give up her seat on a city bus to a white man. Her arrest leads to the Montgomery, Alabama bus boycott. This was a seminal moment in the developing Civil Rights Movement.
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| Fall 1956 |
Irving Rosenthal Joins Chicago Review. More Info
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Irving Rosenthal joins Chicago Review as a student associate, while attending Univ of Chicao as a graduate psychology student studying under Carl Rogers.
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| Sep 05, 1957 (Thursday) |
Jack Kerouac's _On The Road_ is published by Viking Press. More Info
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First date of publication of one of the seminal works that defined the Beat Generation.
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| Summer, 1958 |
Actor R.G. Davis moves to San Francisco. More Info
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R.G. Davis returns from Paris after studying at the Ecole de Mime under Etienne Decroux. Settles in San Francisco where he teaches and performs mime.
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| Fall 1959 [- May 1961] |
Kesey In Stanford graduate program. More Info
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Ken Kesey (b. 17 September 1935 in La Junta, CO.) enters the graduate writing program at Stanford University on a Woodrow Wilson Fellowship.
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| Oct 29, 1959 (Thursday) |
First performance of the R.G. Davis Mime Studio and Troupe. More Info
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The Troupe performs "Mime and Words" at the San Francisco Art Institute.
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| 1960 |
Bread and Puppet Theatre founded. More Info
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Peter Schumann arrives in New York and starts the Bread and Puppet Theatre, famous for the giant puppets at anti-war rallies later in the decade.
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| Feb 01, 1960 (Monday) |
Protest at Woolworth's sparks the Sit-In Movement. More Info
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This unplanned sit-in took place at a lunch counter in Greensboro, N.C., though the technique had been invented two decades earlier by the Congress of Racial Equality in Chicago in 1943.
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| May 20, 1960 (Friday) |
Second Performance of the R.G. Davis Mime Studio and Troupe. More Info
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The R.G. Davis Mime Studio and Troupe perform mimes at the Pacific Coast Arts Festival, Reed College. (May 20-22, 1960).
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| Summer 1960 [- Spring 1961] |
Kesey participates in government drug experiment. More Info
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Kesey signs up as a volunteer and also takes a night-shift position there as an aide on the psychiatric ward.
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| Sep 23, 1960 (Friday) |
Third appearance of the R.G. Davis Mime Studio and Troupe. More Info
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The Troupe performs the same program as they offered at Reed College in May.
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| 11 December 1960 [- 28 June 1961] |
First free mime shows in San Francisco. More Info
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The R.G. Davis Mime Troupe offers the "11th Hour Mime Show" every Sunday night at the the Encore Theatre, under the guise of the San Francisco Actor's Workshop.
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| Apr 25, 1961 (Tuesday) |
R.G. Davis Mime Troupe in Beckett performance. More Info
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The Troupe performs Act Without Words II, by Samuel Beckett, at the Encore Theatre, under the guise of the Actor's Workshop. (This was part of the 11th Hour Mime Series).
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| Nov 18, 1961 (Saturday) |
R.G. Davis Mime Troupe performs Event I. More Info
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The Troupe offers this "happening"-style performance as part of the 11th Hour Mime Series at the Encore Theatre.
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| Summer 1962 |
Kesey and Cassady meet.
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Ken Kesey is introduced to Neil Cassady while the former is still living at Perry Lane in Palo Alto.
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| 10 September 1962 [- July 1965] |
S.F. Mime Troupe moves to first studio. More Info
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R.G. Davis Mime Troupe and Studio changes its name to the San Francisco Mime Troupe and moves to a former church building in the Mission District of San Francisco, located at 3450 20th Street (at the corner of Capp Street).
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| May 03, 1963 (Friday) |
Birmingham Police violently suppress Civil Rights marchers.
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The police turn fire hoses and dogs against the marchers who are demonstrating to end segregation in housing, employment and education.
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| Jun 12, 1963 (Wednesday) |
Civil Rights leader Medgar Evers murdered.
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Medgar Evers, early leader of the Mississippi NAACP, is shot and killed as he returned to his home. His murder is the first of dozens in the struggle of the 60s, including three Civil Rights workers near Philadelphia, Miss., four Sunday school children in Birmingham, and others.
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| Aug 28, 1963 (Wednesday) |
First March on Washington for Civil Rights.
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Martin Luther King, Jr., delivers his "I Have A Dream" speech to the assembly of over 200,000 gathered at the Lincoln Memorial.
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| Fall 1963 |
Formation of Merry Pranksters. More Info
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Ken Babbs returns from military service in Vietnam and meets Ken Kesey and his circle of friends who are living at Perry Lane in Palo Alto. Together they invent the concept of "pranking," and begin calling themselves "The Merry Pranksters." The group moves out to a cabin in the redwoods near La Honda, fifteen miles east of Palo Alto, where Kesey finishes work on his second novel Sometimes a Great Notion.
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| Nov 22, 1963 (Friday) |
Assassination of President Kennedy.
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President John F. Kennedy is assasinated in Dallas, TX. Lyndon Baines Johnson assumes the office of the presidency.
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| March 1964 |
Street murder shocks country. More Info
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Queens, NY, resident Kitty Genovese was stabbed to death on the street in an incident that shocked the nation. Though they went out for several anguished minutes, her cries for help went unheeded by the 38 people who heard them from their apartments. In subsequent interviews, these auditors stated repeatedly that the "didn't want to get involved," thus articulating a phrase that expressed perfectly the sense of anomie experienced by many urban dwellers during this period.
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| Jun 10, 1964 (Wednesday) |
Congress passes the Civil Rights Bill.
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[Description needed]
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| 14 June 1964 - late August 1964 |
Merry Pranksters tour in school bus. More Info
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During the Spring of 1964, the Merry Pranksters think up the idea of purchasing and outfitting a 1939 IHC school bus (christened "Furthur") and driving across the country to New York. There they would attend a publication party for Kesey's new novel, Sometimes a Great Notion, check out the World's Fair, and pay a visit to Timothy Leary and his associates at the Millbrook estate of William Hitchcock. They arrive in New York City in mid-July 1964 and are introduced to Jack Kerouac at a fateful party.
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| Sep 04, 1964 (Friday) |
Picketing of Oakland Tribune.
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Picketing of Oakland Tribune by Ad Hoc Committee to End Discrimination, which recruits support on Berkeley campus.
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| Sep 14, 1964 (Monday) |
UC Berkeley Bans Informational Tables on Campus.
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[UC Berkeley] Dean Towle bans posters, easels and tables at Bancroft-Telegraph gate of Berkeley campus "because of interference with flow of traffic" and "reminded" student groups of "rules prohibiting the collection of funds and the use of University facilities for the planning and implementing of off-campus political and social action." Previously, University officials had "considered no action (to enforce these rules) to be necessary." (Quotes from Chancellor Strong's Report of 26 Oct. 1964 to Academic Senate.)
San Francisco Chronicle of 4 Dec. said that although Chancellor Strong called these rules "historic policy,' "the fact was, however, that it was a policy frequently winked at by university officials--until the convention controversy." (See June entry below)
June 1964: During Republican National Convention, according to San Francisco Chronicle, 4 Dec. 1964, charges are made by Goldwater supporters that Scranton supporters are illegally recruiting student volunteers on campus.
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| Sep 17, 1964 (Thursday) |
Coalition forms to oppose UC Berkeley policy on free speech.
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Some 20 organizations of students announce coalition as United Front in opposition to this reiteration of "historic policy' -- including Slate, Campus CORE, University Society of Individualists, DuBois Club, Young People's Socialist League, University Young Republicans, University Young Democrats, Young Socialist Alliance, Campus Women for Peace, Youth for Goldwater, Student Committee for Travel to Cuba, Student Committee for "No on Proposition 14," University Friends of SNCC, Students for a Democratic Society, College Young Republicans, Students for Independent Political Action, Youth Committee Against Proposition 14, and Independent Socialist Club (as listed in Chancellor Strong's report to the Berkeley Division of the Academic Senate, dated 26 Oct. 1964). The Inter-Faith Council and the California Council of Republicans were also included.
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| Sep 21, 1964 (Monday) |
Rally Against UC Berkeley Policy.
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In response to United Front protest Dean Towle decides rules permit informational activity but not advocacy or organization of political and social action; to protest this policy the United Front holds first rally on steps of Sproul Hall (Berkeley campus administration building).
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| Sep 28, 1964 (Monday) |
Response by United Front to UC Berkeley Policy.
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Chancellor Strong interprets rules as allowing distribution of campaign literature and similar materials at designated locations. Dean Williams announces that those engaging in "illegal politics" may be expelled. Several United Front organizations make test-issue of rules by manning tables to organize political and social action.
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| Sep 30, 1964 (Wednesday) |
Sit-In at UC Berkeley.
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University begins disciplinary action against five students for manning illegal tables; 400 students sign statements that they too have manned illegal tables, enter Sproul Hall demanding disciplinary hearings, sit-in awaiting hearing; 11:45, five students and 3 more thought leaders of demonstration are "indefinitely suspended"; sit-in continues to 3:00 a. m.
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| Oct 01, 1964 (Thursday) |
Protest Rally Against UC Berkeley Policy.
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Protest rally and manning of tables on Sproul steps. Arrest of Jack Weinberg, a former graduate student in Mathematics, for operating a CORE table on Sproul steps; crowd of protestors, growing to 3000, blocks police car carrying Weinberg away. Protestors enter Sproul Hall, sit-in to demand discussion of eight suspensions; clash briefly with police in effort to block early locking of Sproul Hall doors; protesters subsequently leave ,voluntarily.
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| Oct 02, 1964 (Friday) |
Protest Rally Continues Against UC Berkeley.
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Some 450 police assemble on campus to undertake removal of police car and Weinberg, still immobilized by seated crowd; University officials, including President Kerr, members of faculty and student leaders meet, agree to discuss differences. Police leave; demonstrators disperse. Weinberg booked, but released as University, in accordance with agreement, does not press charges.
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| Oct 03, 1964 (Saturday) |
Free Speech Movement Forms.
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Emergence of Free Speech Movement (FSM) out of United Front.
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| Oct 05, 1964 (Monday) |
University Appoints Committee to Deal With Free Speech Issue.
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Appointment by the Chancellor pursuant to 2 Oct. agreement of ten members of committee of administration, faculty and students to investigate and propose solutions of campus political problems; FSM to send two delegates to committee. FSM protests composition of committee and gains agreement to four-man FSM delegation
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| Oct 13, 1964 (Tuesday) |
Faculty motion on Free Speech issue.
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Academic Senate passes motion favoring "maximum freedom for student political activity"; calls for inquiry into, and recommendations on, problems by Academic Freedom Committee.
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| Oct 15, 1964 (Thursday) |
UC President Requests Faculty Advice.
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President Kerr asks Academic Senate to establish ad hoc committee to advise on disciplining of the eight suspended students (Heyman Committee)
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| Oct 21, 1964 (Wednesday) |
Request to Reinstate FSM Students.
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Heyman Committee requests of Chancellor temporary reinstatement of suspended students pending hearing and report. Request denied.
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| Nov 05, 1964 (Thursday) |
Free Speech Movement Resumes Picketing.
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FSM, impatient with committee, resumes picketing of Sproul Hall.
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| Nov 09, 1964 (Monday) |
Free Speech Movement Rally.
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FSM rally on Sproul steps attracts 1200. Tables again set up by FSM groups, ending six-week self-imposed moratorium. University officials take names of some students manning tables; 800 students sign statements declaring that they too have manned tables.
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| Nov 10, 1964 (Tuesday) |
UC Dissolves Committee to Resolve Free Speech Issue.
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Chancellor Strong dissolves administration-faculty-student committee because FSM has resumed setting up tables.
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| Nov 12, 1964 (Thursday) |
Recommendation to Censure/Suspend FSM Students.
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Heyman Committee recommends censure of six students, suspension of Savio and Art Goldberg for six weeks beginning 30 Sept. 1964.
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| Nov 20, 1964 (Friday) |
UC Regents Accept Recommendation to Suspend FSM Students.
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Regents accept recommendation by President Kerr and Chancellor Strong for suspension of the eight students for the period 30 Sept.-20 Nov., and for the placing on probation of Savio and Goldberg. Regents also agree to modify policy on political activity: recruiting, fund collecting, organization of "lawful off-campus" action may take place in designated areas -- students advocating unlawful action will be subject to University discipline. Rally of 4000 on Sproul steps and march to University Hall where Regents are meeting
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| Nov 22, 1964 (Sunday) |
FSM Sit-In at Sproul Hall.
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FSM sit-in of three hours in Sproul Hall over issue of University discipline for off-campus activities.
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| Nov 24, 1964 (Tuesday) |
University Implements Free Speech Restrictions.
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Chancellor issues new rules framed in accordance with lines established by Regents in 20 Nov. meeting: "certain campus facilities ... may be used ... for planning, implementing, raising funds or recruiting participants for lawful off-campus action, not for unlawful off-campus action." Academic Senate defeats 274 to 261, a motion to limit University regulation of speech, political and social activity only to the extent "necessary to prevent undue interference with other University affairs." A motion to establish a Senate committee to deal with questions of student political conduct is also defeated.
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| Nov 25, 1964 (Wednesday) |
University Reprimands FSM Students.
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Letters of reprimand sent by University to some 60 students who had manned illegal tables on 9 Nov.
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| Nov 30, 1964 (Monday) |
FSM Announcement.
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FSM announces its leaders, Savio, Art Goldberg, Jackie Goldberg and Brian Turner, face disciplinary action.
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| Dec 01, 1964 (Tuesday) |
FSM Demands Dropping of Charges.
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FSM demands University drop charges, asserting only courts have right to regulate political activity, including campus political activity; demand University meet conditions in 24 hours or face demonstration.
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| Dec 02, 1964 (Wednesday) |
FSM Sit-In to Protest University Policy.
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University ignores ultimatum. FSM rally attracts 6000; 1000 engage in sit-in in Sproul Hall; over 800 remain for the night.
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| Dec 03, 1964 (Thursday) |
Police Arrest FSM Demonstrators.
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Governor Brown sends police to clear out or arrest demonstrators; Chancellor Strong urges students to leave Sproul; students remain: police begin arrest and removal of students. Graduate students in large numbers begin picketing of University buildings in protest of police action. Faculty members spontaneously arrange meeting to consider crisis, pass resolutions calling for dropping of pending disciplinary action against students, for the establishment of an Academic Senate committee to which students could appeal penalties imposed for political activity, and for the Regents to change their policy of 20 Nov. so that student off-campus political activities shall not be subject to University discipline. Faculty members raise $8500 bail for students; many meet with Judge Crittenden in effort to help in setting and posting bail, then in returning students from prison farm.
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