Life in 1968 – Popular Culture Facts

 

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

Life in 1968 Prague Spring
Prague Spring 1968

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

dollar bill

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 Map

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

Popular MusicBest 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

BookshelfPublished 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

Movies Films1968 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

Life in 1968 - Harold Wilson
Harold Wilson UK Prime Minister


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

King Felipe VI of Spain born 1968
King Felipe VI of Spain

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

Martin Luther King died 1968
Martin Luther King

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

Olympic Rings

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

Hot Wheels 1968

G I Joe Action Figure
Barbie and Ken Dolls
Hot Wheels
Suzy Homemaker kitchen play range
Lite-Brite

What Was New?

Bean Bag Chair

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 – Apr 14, 2022 @ 10:58 am