August 1961 calendar
Learn the most interesting events and historical facts that happened in August 1961.
The US president was John F. Kennedy (Democrat), the UK Prime Minister was Harold Macmillan (Conservative), Pope John XXIII was leading the Catholic Church.
But much more happened on August 1961: find out below
Historical Events
Which were the important events of August 1961?
Events
- 01 Aug 1961 Benaud rips through England team for Aussie win at Old Trafford
- 02 Aug 1961 Cyrille Adula becomes Premier of Congo
- 04 Aug 1961 28th NFL Chicago All-Star Game: Philadelphia 28, All-Stars 14
- 05 Aug 1961 Chicago Bears (NFL) beat Montreal Alouettes (Canadian Football League) 34-16 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
- 06 Aug 1961 1st case of motion sickness in space reported
- 07 Aug 1961 Cosmonaut Gherman Titov circles Earth for a full day in Vostok 2
- 08 Aug 1961 Ham Tigercats (CFL) beat the Buffalo Bills (NFL) 38-21 in Hamilton, Ontario
- 09 Aug 1961 James B Parsons is 1st black appointed to Federal District Court
- 10 Aug 1961 England applies for membership in the European Common Market.
- 11 Aug 1961 Warren Spahn records victory number 300, beats Chicago Cubs 2-1.
- 13 Aug 1961 Construction on Berlin Wall begins in East Germany
- 14 Aug 1961 Philadelphia Phillies lose 17th straight game
- 15 Aug 1961 Border guard Conrad Schumann flees from East Germany while on duty guarding the construction of the Berlin Wall.
- 16 Aug 1961 250,000 West Berliners demonstrate against East Berlin
- 17 Aug 1961 Kennedy administration establishes Alliance for Progress
- 18 Aug 1961 Construction on Berlin Wall completed.
- 19 Aug 1961 US Vice President Lyndon B Johnson visits West Berlin
- 20 Aug 1961 Phillies set then dubious record of 23 straight loses, beat Braves
- 21 Aug 1961 Jomo Kenyatta freed in Kenya
- 22 Aug 1961 Maris hits his 50th of 61 homers
- 23 Aug 1961 Belgium sends troops to Rwanda-Urundi
- 25 Aug 1961 Brazilian President Janio Quadros, resigns
- 26 Aug 1961 Official International Hockey Hall of Fame opens in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
- 28 Aug 1961 Motown releases what would be its first #1 hit, ''Please Mr. Postman'' by The Marvelettes.
- 30 Aug 1961 1st Negro judge of a US District Court confirmed-JB Parsons
- 31 Aug 1961 Amsterdam National Ballet forms
- 01 Aug 1961 U.S. Defense Secretary Robert McNamara orders the creation of the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), the nation's first centralized military espionage organization.
Famous Birthday
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Famous Deaths
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Music charts
Which were the top hits in August 1961?
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Top #5 songs in the USA
- Bobby Lewis - Tossin' And Turnin'
- Joe Dowell - Wooden Heart
- Chris Kenner - I Like It Like That, Part 1
- Brook Benton - The Boll Weevil Song
- Mar-Keys - Last Night
Top #5 songs in the UK
- Helen Shapiro - You Don't Know
- John Leyton - Johnny Remember Me
- Eden Kane - Well I Ask You
- Shirley Bassey - Reach For The Stars / Climb Ev'ry Mountain
- Petula Clark - Romeo
Movies
Which were the most popular Movies released in that month?
Books
Which were the most popular books released in August 1961?
The Sixth Man
By: Jess Stearn
"A shocking investigation into the spread of homosexuality throughout America"
The Incredible Journey
By: Sheila Burnford
Their instincts told them to go west. So the Labrador retriever, the bull terrier, and the Siamese, a young Labrador retriever set off through Canada.
The Spanish Civil War
By: Hugh Thomas
Hugh Thomas's The Spanish Civil War is a masterpiece of historian's art. It remains one of the most fascinating and compelling narratives about one of the most iconic and misunderstood conflicts of the 20th century.
To Kill a Mockingbird
By: Harper Lee
To Kill A Mockingbird, the unforgettable story of a Southern childhood and the conscience crisis that rocked it became a bestseller immediately and was critically acclaimed when it was published for the first time in 1960.
Tropic Of Cancer
By: Henry Miller
Miller's first novel, a groundbreaking work of fiction, was banned in Britain for nearly thirty years. Henry Miller, a penniless writer who has yet to be published, arrived in Paris in 1930. He left behind a broken marriage and a …