Major Events of May 1964: Key Historical Moments from the Month

Each month is marked by defining moments that shape the course of history. Whether through political shifts, cultural movements, or world-changing events, these periods leave a lasting impression. Dive into the most important events from May 1964 and discover how they influenced the world both then and now.

Major Events of May 1964: Key Historical Moments from the Month

01 May 1964 Tragic Ku Klux Klan Murders in Mississippi: In a horrific act of racial violence, Henry Hezekiah Dee and Charles Eddie Moore were kidnapped and brutally beaten by members of the Ku Klux Klan while hitchhiking in Meadville, Mississippi. Their badly decomposed bodies were discovered two months later in July, during the search for three civil rights workers - Chaney, Goodman, and Schwerner. This incident highlighted the extreme racial tensions and violence prevalent during the Civil Rights era.
02 May 1964 First Major Student Demonstration Against Vietnam War: Approximately 1,000 students participated in the first significant nationwide student protest against the Vietnam War. Organized by Yale University students as part of the 'May 2nd Movement', demonstrations occurred simultaneously in multiple major cities including New York City, San Francisco, Boston, Seattle, and Madison, Wisconsin.
03 May 1964 Malta Votes for Independence: A historic referendum on Malta's political future concluded after three days of voting, with 54.5% of valid votes supporting a new constitution. The result paved the way for Malta to become a parliamentary democracy while maintaining a British Governor-General, marking a significant step in the island's journey towards self-governance and independence from British colonial rule.
04 May 1964 Pacific Air Lines Flight 773 Tragedy: A devastating incident occurred when Pacific Air Lines Flight 773 crashed near San Ramon, California, resulting in the death of all 44 passengers. FBI investigation revealed that a suicidal passenger had shot the pilot and co-pilot, leading to the catastrophic crash.
05 May 1964 USNS Card Sunk by North Vietnamese Frogmen: During the Vietnam War, a North Vietnamese underwater combat team successfully sank the U.S. Navy aviation transport USNS Card in Saigon, resulting in the death of five American sailors and marking a significant maritime attack.
06 May 1964 Joe Orton's 'Entertaining Mr Sloan' Premieres in London: Joe Orton's groundbreaking play 'Entertaining Mr Sloan' premiered at the New Arts Theatre in London, marking a significant moment in British theatrical history. The dark comedy, known for its provocative themes of sexuality, power dynamics, and social taboos, would become a landmark work in post-war British theatre. Orton's unique style challenged conventional dramatic norms and pushed boundaries of acceptable dramatic content in the 1960s.
07 May 1964 Pacific Airlines Flight 773 Hijacking and Crash: On May 7, 1964, Pacific Airlines Flight 773, a Fairchild F-27 airliner, was hijacked by Francisco Gonzales and crashed near San Ramon, California, resulting in the tragic death of all 44 people aboard. The FBI investigation revealed that a suicidal passenger shot the pilot and co-pilot, causing the aircraft to crash in Contra Costa County.
09 May 1964 Foiled Assassination Plot Against U.S. Secretary of Defense: A Viet Cong agent, Nguyen Van Troi, was arrested while attempting to assassinate U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert S. McNamara, highlighting the tensions of the Vietnam War era.
10 May 1964 Treblinka Memorial Dedicated in Poland: A commemorative memorial honoring the victims of the Treblinka death camp was officially dedicated in Poland. The memorial, designed by architects Adam Haupt and Franciszek Duszenko, featured a striking 26-foot (7.9 m) broken obelisk surrounded by 17,000 sharp granite pieces, symbolizing the immense loss of life during the Holocaust.
11 May 1964 First BASIC Computer Program Executed: At Dartmouth College, the first BASIC (Beginner's All-purpose Symbolic Instruction Code) program was successfully run, marking a pivotal moment in computer programming history. This user-friendly programming language would democratize computing and influence generations of software developers.
12 May 1964 North Vietnamese Frogman Sinks USNS Card: A North Vietnamese frogman successfully attacked and sank the U.S. Navy aviation transport USNS Card, resulting in the death of five American sailors and escalating tensions in the Vietnam War.
13 May 1964 Heroic Pilot Prevents School Tragedy: On May 13, 1964, Raynor L. Herbert demonstrated extraordinary courage by deliberately staying with a potentially crashing plane to prevent it from striking Lincoln Elementary School, which was occupied by 800 students at the time. His selfless act likely saved numerous lives by steering the aircraft away from the school building.
14 May 1964 Aswan Dam Explosion Ceremony: Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser and Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev jointly initiated the symbolic explosion marking a significant milestone in the Aswan High Dam construction, symbolizing Soviet-Egyptian cooperation during the Cold War era.
15 May 1964 US Nuclear Test at Nevada Test Site: The United States conducted a nuclear test at the Nevada Test Site, continuing its Cold War-era nuclear weapons development and testing program during the height of the nuclear arms race.
16 May 1964 USSR Nuclear Test in Kazakhstan: The Soviet Union conducted a nuclear weapons test at the Semipalatinsk Test Site in northeastern Kazakhstan, continuing its Cold War-era nuclear weapons development program.
17 May 1964 Operation Desert Strike Military Exercise: The United States military launched Operation Desert Strike, the largest American military exercise since the conclusion of World War II. The extensive maneuver covered an impressive 18,000 square mile area, demonstrating the U.S. military's strategic capabilities and readiness during the Cold War era.
18 May 1964 Milwaukee Public Schools Freedom Day Boycott: The Milwaukee United School Integration Committee (MUSIC) organized a pivotal civil rights demonstration known as 'Freedom Day', where approximately 11,000 black and white students boycotted schools to protest segregation. Alternative 'Freedom Schools' were established in churches and community centers, offering educational programs focused on themes of freedom, brotherhood, justice, and equality.
19 May 1964 Soviet Espionage: Massive Bugging of US Embassy in Moscow: US diplomats discovered an extensive surveillance operation with at least 40 secret microphones hidden within the walls of the United States Embassy in Moscow, revealing a significant Cold War-era intelligence gathering effort by the Soviet Union.
20 May 1964 Discovery of Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation: Groundbreaking scientific discovery by Robert Woodrow Wilson and Arno Penzias, which provided crucial evidence supporting the Big Bang theory. This finding was instrumental in understanding the early universe and earned the scientists the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1978.
21 May 1964 First Nuclear-Powered Lighthouse Operational: The first nuclear-powered lighthouse began operations in Chesapeake Bay, marking a significant technological milestone in maritime navigation and energy innovation.
22 May 1964 U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson launches his Great Society program.
23 May 1964 The Beatles' 'Second Album' Tops Charts: The Beatles' album 'The Beatles' Second Album' demonstrated the band's immense popularity by maintaining the number one position on the music charts for an impressive five consecutive weeks.
24 May 1964 Controversial Nuclear Weapons Suggestion: Republican presidential candidate Barry Goldwater sparked significant controversy by suggesting the potential use of nuclear weapons in the Vietnam War, revealing the escalating tensions of the Cold War era.
25 May 1964 Supreme Court Ruling Against School Segregation: The United States Supreme Court delivered a landmark ruling declaring that closing schools to avoid desegregation is unconstitutional. This decision was a critical moment in the Civil Rights Movement, reinforcing the principles of racial equality and integration in the American education system.
26 May 1964 Corona Spy Satellite Mission Fails During Re-entry: Mission 1005 of the top-secret Corona spy satellite series experienced a critical failure during its uncontrolled re-entry into Earth's atmosphere. The capsule broke up, potentially compromising sensitive reconnaissance data and highlighting the technological challenges of early satellite reconnaissance during the Cold War era.
27 May 1964 Johnson-Russell Vietnam Discussion: President Lyndon Johnson and Senator Richard Russell engaged in a critical discussion about U.S. involvement in Vietnam, referencing the 1954 Manila Pact and SEATO. Russell characterized the situation as a 'damned worst mess' and warned of potential broader conflict with China and other Asian nations.
28 May 1964 Palestine Liberation Organization Founded: The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) was established in Jerusalem, with Yasser Arafat elected as its first leader. This marked a significant moment in Palestinian political organization, bringing together various Palestinian factions under a unified leadership to advocate for Palestinian national rights and self-determination.
29 May 1964 Arab League Meeting in East Jerusalem: The Arab League convened in East Jerusalem to discuss the Palestinian question, a pivotal meeting that ultimately led to the establishment of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), a significant moment in Palestinian political history.
30 May 1964 Leo Szilard's Passing: Leo Szilard, a renowned Hungarian-born nuclear physicist who played a crucial role in the development of nuclear technology, passed away at the age of 66.
31 May 1964 First Pied Piper Murder: Charles Schmid commits his first murder, killing a 15-year-old girl. This marked the beginning of a notorious serial killing spree that would shock the community and become known as the 'Pied Piper' murders.