March 22, 1961
Gas cost $0.31 a gallon in the spring of 1961, and the Dow Jones stood at 731 — a young Navy test pilot named Alan Shepard had just become the first American in space, riding a Freedom 7 capsule on a 15-minute suborbital flight that May and returning to a hero's welcome in Washington. On the cultural front, "Blue Moon" by The Marcels was climbing the charts with its distinctive doo-wop sound, while "The Apartment" had just taken home the Oscar for Best Picture. In sports, the Boston Celtics claimed the NBA championship over the St. Louis Hawks, and on the golf course that April, South African Gary Player became the first non-American to win the Masters Tournament.
On the cover
Magazine Covers — March 22, 1961
NY Times Headlines — Week of March 22, 1961
Kennedy Alerts Nation On Laos; Warns Soviet Bloc, Asks Truce; Stresses Seato'S Role In Crisis; Peril Emphasized President Voices U.S. 'Resolution' -- Arms Build-Up Pushed Kennedy Alerts Country On Laos
President Urges Nehru Take Lead In Laos Peace Bid; Harriman Delivers Appeal For India To Negotiate End Of Hostilities Reaction Is Favorable Crisis In Asia Is Expected To Be Major Question At Warsaw Pact Parley Kennedy Appeals To Nehru On Laos
President To See Macmillan Today On Crisis In Laos; Kennedy Flies To Florida For Hastily Arranged Talk With Prime Minister Sends Note To France Gromyko Slated To Deliver Khrushchev Message At White House Tomorrow President To See Macmillan Today
Kennedy And Macmillan Appeal To Soviet To Back Neutral Laos; Rusk Asks Seato To Meet Crisis; Full Agreement President Holds Talk With British Chief At Key West President And Prime Minister Confer In Florida On Laos Situation U.S. And Britain Appeal To Soviet
World Events — March 1961
Time Person of the Year — 1961
On the radio
Billboard Charts — March 22, 1961
Grammy Awards
On the bookshelf
On the television
Nielsen Top 10 — 1960–61 Season
Emmy Winners — 1961
At the movies
Box Office & Oscar Winners — March 22, 1961
On the field
Sports Champions — March 22, 1961
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