On July 21, 1969 Apollo 11 Astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Edwin Aldrin became the first human beings to set foot on an object beyond the Earth. With the words
"One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind"
Neil Armstrong changed the world forever. The most important event in human history.
Richard M. Nixon inaugurated as President of the United States. B-52's drop 3,000 pounders on Cambodia while the biggest anti war protest thus far, the October 15th Vietnam Moratorium Day.
The trial begins for the Chicago 8 who were charged with the riots during the Democratic convention in 1968. As soon as the trial began Black Panther Bobby Seale was gagged, tied to a chair and given 5 years for contempt by Judge Hoffman and tried separately. The remaining 7 were Abbie Hoffman, Jerry Rubin, David Dellinger, Tom Hayden, Rennie Davis, John Froines, and Lee Weiner who were defended by attorneys William Kunstler and Leonard Weinglass. Demonstrations took place both inside and outside the courtroom. Though found guilty of conspiracy to riot they were all found not guilty on appeal in 1972.
A charismatic sociopath convict by the name of Charlie Manson formed a family of misfits who went on a murder spree to begin a fantasy racial war which would leave them in control of the world. By naming his plan Helter Skelter after a Beatles song, the Manson Family and their murders become linked to the pop and counter culture of the time. The murderers involved in both the Sharon Tate and LaBianca killings are pictured above, Manson on top and Patricia Krenwinkel (who wrote and misspelled the words HELTER SKELTER in the victims blood on their refrigerator) , Tex Watson, Susan Atkins and Leslie Van Houten.
On December 15th Representative Alexander Pirnie from New York draws number 257 in the first U.S. government military draft lottery since WW II. The number corresponds to the 257th day of the year, young men born on Sept 14th packed their bags.
Senator Edward Kennedy's hopes of ever becoming President ended on July 18th when he drove off a small wooden bridge in Chappaquiddic, Massachusetts ending the life of 29 year old Mary Jo Kopechne, a teacher and campaign employee of Robert Kennedy's recent run for President. Kennedy was charged with leaving the scene of an accident and sentenced to 2 months in jail which was deferred.
In a political move to clean up New York City, Mayor John Lindsay had the Police raid the Stonewall Gay Bar in Greenwich Village. The riot lasted 3 days with thousands of rioters beaten by police. Homo Nest Raided, Queen Bees Are Stinging Mad
Cleveland's Cuyahgo River catches fire.
Hurricane Camille strikes U.S. Gulf Coast killing 255.
"Middle America's villains are less easily singled out. Yippie Abbie Hoffman or S.D.S. leaders like Mark Rudd are hardly important enough by themselves to constitute major devils. With such faceless groups as the Weathermen, they merely serve as symbols of all the radicals who pronounce the country evil and ripe for destruction. Disliked, too, are the vaguely identified "liberals" and "intellectuals" who are seen as sympathizing with the radicals. Perhaps the most authentic individual villains to Middle America are the Black Panther leaders, Eldridge Cleaver and Bobby Seale." 1969 Man of the Year cover story
The World 1969
Golda Meir becomes Israel's 4th Prime Minister and first woman Prime Minister of the West. She was known as the"Iron Lady" before that title was given to Margaret Thatcher.
Yassar Arafat commander of the Fatah takes over as chairman of Palestinian Liberation Organization. Considered a terrorist by one side and a freedom fighter by the other, he won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1994 for being more reasonable than most.
After 10 years as a successful President of France Charles de Gaulle resigned to hand power over to Georges Pompidou. De Gaulle was to France much like Dwight Eisenhower was to America.
Canada expresses its progressive roots by banning tobacco advertising on radio and TV, and legalizes both contraception and abortion.
Britain takes the lead in modern civilization by abolishing the death penalty.
Nobel
Prizes 1969
Physics - Murray Gell-Mann Chemistry - Derek Harold Richard Barton, Odd Hassel Physiology or Medicine - Max Delbrück, Alfred Hershey, Salvador Luria Literature - Samuel Beckett Peace - International Labour Organization
On December 15th Representative Alexander Pirnie from New York draws number 257 in the first U.S. government 
Senator Edward Kennedy's
Yassar Arafat 
Canada
