This page offers an insight into life in 1968 and includes World news, political leaders, prices, population statistics and information about the popular culture of 1968.
The year 1968 was a leap year which began on a Monday.
1968 In The News
5th January – Prague Spring began with the election of Alexander Dubček.
30th January – The Tet Offensive (a major Vietnam War campaign) began.
4th April – Martin Luther King assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee.
5th June – Robert Kennedy assassinated at the Ambassador Hotel, Los Angeles.
16th October – Athletes Tommie Smith and John Carlos make the Black Power salute on the podium of the Mexico Olympics.
20th October – Jacqueline Kennedy married Aristotle Onassis.
Life in 1968 – Prices
Average house:
UK – £3,903; USA – $14,950
Petrol per gallon:
UK – £0.28; USA – $0.34
Loaf of Bread:
UK – £0.08; USA – $0.22
Gold per ounce:
UK – $39.31, USA – $35.5
Life in 1968 – Population
World: – 3,562,358,622
Australia: – 12,101,660
Canada: – 21,143,100
China: – 776,152,768
India: – 529,361,728
Soviet Union: 128,876,496
United States: – 199,399,008
United Kingdom: – 55,214,000
Life in 1968 – Music
Best Selling Single:
UK – Hey Jude – The Beatles
USA – Hey Jude – The Beatles
AUS – Hey Jude – The Beatles
CAN – Hey Jude – The Beatles
Best Selling Album:
UK – The Sound of Music – Original Soundtrack
USA – Are You Experienced? – The Jimi Hendrix Experience
AUS – The Seekers’ Greatest Hits – The Seekers
CAN – Electric Ladyland – Jimi Hendrix
Popular Artists:
Aretha Franklin, The Beatles, The Bee Gees, Donovan, Tommy James and the Shondells, Gary Puckett, Otis Redding, The Temptations, Sly and the Family Stone, Stevie Wonder
On the Bookshelves
Published in 1968:
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep – Philip K Dick
2001: A Space |Odyssey – Arthur C Clarke
A Wizard of Earthsea – Ursula K Le Guin
Corduroy – Don Freeman
The Last Unicorn – Peter S Beagle
At the Movies
1968 Top Movies (USA box office figures):
1. Funny Girl – $29.9 million
2. 2001: A Space Odyssey – $21.5 million
3. The Odd Couple – $20 million
4. Bullitt – $19 million
5. Oliver! – $16.8 million
Life in 1968 – World Leaders
Australia Prime Minister – John McEwen to 10th January, John Gorton from 10th January
Canada Prime Minister – Lester Pearson to 20th April, Pierre Trudeau from 20th April
China President – Liu Shaoqi to 31st October, Dong Biwu and Soong Ching-ling from 31st October
India Prime Minister – Indira Gandhi
Soviet Union Leader – Leonid Brezhnev
United States President – Lyndon B Johnson
United Kingdom Prime Minister – Harold Wilson
Born in 1968
30th January – King Felipe VI of Spain (Royal Family)
1st February – Lisa Marie Presley (Singer)
30th March – Celine Dion (Singer)
12th May – Tony Hawk (Skateboarder)
13th May – Scot Morrison (Politician)
28th May – Kylie Minogue (Actress/Singer)
1st June – Jason Donovan (Actor/Singer)
25th December – Helena Christenson (Model)
Died in 1968
4th April – Martin Luther King (Civil Rights Leader)
7th April – Jim Clark (F1 Racing Driver)
6th June – Robert Kennedy (Politician)
25th June – Tony Hancock (Actor)
27th August – Princess Marina of Kent (Royal Family)
1st November – Georgios Papandreou (Greek Politician)
28th November – Enid Blyton (Author)
1967 Sport Highlights
Football – West Bromwich Albion won the FA Cup
Cycling – Jan Janssen (NDL) won the Tour de France
Tennis – Billie Jean King both won the Australian Open and Wimbledon
Golf – British Open won by Gary Player; US Open won by Lee Trevino
Baseball – Detroit Tigers won the World Series
Horse Racing – Fort Leney won the Cheltenham Gold Cup; Forward Pass won the Kentucky Derby
Athletics – Bob Beamon set a new long jump World record of 8.9 m. The record stood until 1991.
Summer Olympics – won by the United states with 107 medals
Christmas Wishlist
G I Joe Action Figure
Barbie and Ken Dolls
Hot Wheels
Suzy Homemaker kitchen play range
Lite-Brite
What Was New?
Apollo 8 – first manned mission to orbit the Moon
Upright vacuum cleaner developed
First coronary artery bypass operation performed
Bean Bag chair introduced
Pringles first went on sale
First published 2021; updated and republished Mar 30 2022 @ 11:53 am – Updated –