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May 1, 1968

May 1, 1968, was a Wednesday. It was 56 years, 6 months, and 20 days ago. The zodiac star sign for this date is Taurus.

Song charts

Music charts

Songs that were on top of the charts in the USA and the United Kingdom on May 1, 1968:

  • United States: "Honey" by Bobby Goldsboro
  • United Kingdom: "What A Wonderful World" by Louis Armstrong

The Billboard Hot 100 on May 1, 1968

These were the top five songs on the Billboard Hot 100 chart:

  • Honey - Bobby Goldsboro
  • Cry Like A Baby - The Box Tops
  • Young Girl - The Union Gap Featuring Gary Puckett
  • Lady Madonna - The Beatles
  • (Sweet Sweet Baby) Since You've Been Gone - Aretha Franklin
Play the top singles from 1968
A Spotify playlist of songs from the year 1968. Take a trip back to the days of The The Beatles, Otis Redding, Cliff Richard, Louis Armstrong and The Rascals.
The Graduate

Top movie at the box office

The movie "The Graduate" was at the top of the box office on May 1, 1968.

Facts

This date occurred 20,658 days ago. Approximately 689 months have passed. It was the 122nd day of 1968, in week 18. The decade was the swinging sixties. People who were born on May 1, 1968, are now 56 years old and belong to the Generation X generation. 1968 was a leap year, which means that it had an extra day in February. The Earth has experienced 230 seasons of weather since then.

Take me back to May 1, 1968

Let's take a stroll down memory lane.

The date is May 1, 1968, and it's a Wednesday. Anyone born today will have the star sign Taurus. It is "Hump Day", so many are beginning to think about the weekend ahead.

The summer of 1968 has finally arrived. The weather has warmed up, and the evenings are brighter than usual. The school year is nearly finished. In America, the song "Honey" by Bobby Goldsboro is at the top of the singles charts, while "What A Wonderful World" by Louis Armstrong is the number-one song in the UK. Lyndon Baines Johnson is the President of the United States, and the movie The Graduate is at the top of the box office.

Harold Wilson is the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. On television, people are watching popular shows such as "The Ed Sullivan Show", "What's My Line?", "Bonanza", and "Gilligan's Island". In fashion, a new "hippie subculture" has emerged, bringing with it laid-back Bohemian styles. Frayed bell-bottom jeans, Jesus sandals, crushed velvet suits, and bright tie-dye t-shirts are all popular items of clothing at the moment.

It's 1968, so radio stations are playing hit songs from artists such as The Beatles, Louis Armstrong, Otis Redding, The Rolling Stones, Bobby Goldsboro and Marvin Gaye. If you were to travel back to this day, notable figures such as Helen Keller, Robert F. Kennedy, Ramon Novarro, and Dwight D. Eisenhower would all still be alive. Children and teenagers are watching television shows such as "Looney Tunes", "Top Cat", "Star Trek: The Original Series", and "The Herculoids".

Children are playing with toys such as G.I. Joe: America's Movable Fighting Man, Twister mat, Best of the West (action figures), and Lite-Brite.

Zodiac info

Zodiac

Zodiac, birthstone, and birth flower information.

Personality summary image

  • Zodiac Sign (Astrology): Anyone born on May 1, 1968, will have the star sign Taurus.
  • Zodiac Element: Earth.
  • Chinese Zodiac Animal: In the Chinese Zodiac, 1968 was the year of the Monkey (Yang Water).
  • The Life Path Number for this date is 3.
  • Native American Zodiac: May 1, 1968 falls under the Beaver.
  • Birthstone: A person during the month of May will have the birthstone Emerald.
  • Birth flower (May): The Lily of the Valley and the Hawthorn.
News

News, nostalgia, and fads

These are news stories, trending topics, and fads that were popular on May 1, 1968.

  • The Volkswagen Beetle.

    The Volkswagen Beetle

    The Volkswagen Beetle was one of the most common cars on the road. Sales of the vehicle increased following the release of the 1968 film The Love Bug (and its subsequent spin-offs).
  • The Vietnam War is becoming costly.

    The Vietnam War is becoming costly

    In 1968, US troop numbers in Vietnam reached their peak. An estimated 536,100 service personnel were now stationed in the country. This was the deadliest and most expensive year for the American military in Vietnam. In 1968 alone, an estimated 16,592 US soldiers lost their lives. By this time, most Americans believed that military involvement in Vietnam was a mistake.
  • Who were the best NBA players in 1968?

    Who were the best NBA players in 1968?

    The best NBA players in 1968 were Wilt Chamberlain, Elgin Baylor, Jerry Lucas, Dave Bing and Oscar Robertson.
  • Who were the best football players?

    Who were the best football players?

    In 1968, the best soccer players were George Best, Bobby Charlton, Dragan Džajić, Franz Beckenbauer, Giacinto Facchetti, Luigi Riva, Amancio Amaro, Eusébio, Gianni Rivera, Jimmy Greaves and Pirri.
  • Oliver!

    Oliver!

    "Oliver!" won the Academy Award for Best Picture in 1968.
  • O. C. Smith - "Little Green Apples"

    O. C. Smith - "Little Green Apples"

    "Little Green Apples" by O. C. Smith won a Grammy for 1968's Song of the Year.
  • 1968 in music.

    1968 in music

    The Billboard Charts in 1968 were dominated by the likes of Paul Mauriat, Otis Redding, Bobby Goldsboro, The Beatles, The Rascals and Herb Alpert.
  • 1968 in movies.

    1968 in movies

    Movies released in 1968 included 2001: A Space Odyssey, Funny Girl, The Love Bug, The Odd Couple, Bullitt, Romeo and Juliet, Oliver!, Coogan's Bluff, Rosemary's Baby, Planet of the Apes, Night of the Living Dead and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.
  • The Apollo 8 astronauts.

    The Apollo 8 astronauts

    "The Apollo 8 astronauts" were named Time Person of the Year in 1968 after they became the first humans to successfully leave low Earth orbit.
  • The Hippie movement.

    The Hippie movement

    The hippie counterculture reached its peak during the late 1960s and early 1970s. The movement, which sprung up in opposition to the Vietnam War, was centered around peace, psychedelic music, sexual liberation, bright colors, and drugs such as LSD and marijuana.
  • Lava lamps are all the rage.

    Lava lamps are all the rage

    Sales of lava lamps increased in the late 1960s. It wasn't until the second half of the 1970s that they started to go out of fashion.
  • The afro hairstyle is at its peak in popularity.

    The afro hairstyle is at its peak in popularity

    The afro hairstyle took off during the 1960s and early 1970s. Public figures such as Angela Davis, Pam Grier, Jimi Hendrix, and the Jackson 5 were among those who sported the style.
  • Color TV.

    Color TV

    Although color television was rising in popularity, black-and-white TV sets were still the most popular.
  • The push-button telephone.

    The push-button telephone

    Push-button telephones were beginning to replace the older rotary-style landlines.
  • The miniskirt has taken over.

    The miniskirt has taken over

    In the mid-to-late 1960s, the miniskirt became a favored clothing item among women. The skirt countered the conservatism of the 1950s and early 1960s. As a result, many people at the time saw it as a rebellious fashion statement.
  • The Suzy Homemaker.

    The Suzy Homemaker

    A miniature oven called the "Suzy Homemaker" was a sought-after toy around this time.
  • Fast food is replacing diners and drive-ins.

    Fast food is replacing diners and drive-ins

    The fast food industry was steadily growing, much to the detriment of local diners and drive-in restaurants. Consequently, things such as jukeboxes and carhops also started to decline.

Personality traits

Check out our personality summary for people who were born on May 1, 1968.

What are your strengths and weaknesses?

View Personality Summary

Events

What happened around this time?

News stories, pop culture trends, and other events that happened around May 1, 1968.

  • April 3, 1968: The sci-fi film "Planet of the Apes" is released.
  • April 4, 1968: Martin Luther King, Jr. is assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee.
  • April 6, 1968: 41 people are killed in a gas explosion in Richmond, Indiana.
  • April 7, 1968: British Formula One driver Jim Clark dies in a racing accident in West Germany.
  • April 20, 1968: Liberal Party leader Pierre Trudeau becomes the new Prime Minister of Canada.
  • This date: May 1, 1968
  • May 18, 1968: FA Cup Final 1968: Jeffrey Astle's late goal helps West Bromwich Albion secure a 1-0 victory over Everton.
  • May 21, 1968: The Rolling Stones member Brian Jones is arrested for a second time for possession of cannabis.
  • May 29, 1968: Football: Manchester United win the European Cup after they defeat Benfica 4-1, with 3 goals coming in extra time.

1960s fashion

Photographs of 1960s fashion and hairstyles.

1960s fashion

Television shows

Television shows in May 1968

Television shows that people were watching in May 1968:

TV shows from May 1968.

Columbo
Columbo
Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In
Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In
Dark Shadows
Dark Shadows
I Dream of Jeannie
I Dream of Jeannie
Gilligan's Island
Gilligan's Island
Steptoe and Son
Steptoe and Son
Bonanza
Bonanza
Gunsmoke
Gunsmoke
What's My Line?
What's My Line?
The Ed Sullivan Show
The Ed Sullivan Show

Cars in 1968

1968 saw the introduction of cars such as the Audi 100, the Chevrolet Chevy Malibu, the Volkswagen Type 4, the BMW New Six, the Ford Torino, and the AMC Javelin.

Cars in 1968.

Children TV shows

Cartoons and children's TV shows in May 1968

Children and teenagers were watching the following cartoons and TV series:

Mister Rogers' Neighborhood
Mister Rogers' Neighborhood
Skippy the Bush Kangaroo
Skippy the Bush Kangaroo
Spider-Man
Spider-Man

Aquaman
Aquaman
The Herculoids
The Herculoids
Birdman and the Galaxy Trio
Birdman and the Galaxy Trio
The Monkees
The Monkees
The New Adventures of Superman
The New Adventures of Superman
The King Kong Show
The King Kong Show
Cool McCool
Cool McCool
Star Trek: The Original Series
Star Trek: The Original Series
Toys

Toys in 1968

Children were playing with the following toys and games:

Battleship (game)
Battleship (game)
Lite-Brite
Lite-Brite
Best of the West (action figures)
Best of the West (action figures)
Twister mat
Twister mat
Suzy Homemaker
Suzy Homemaker
Major Matt Mason (action figure)
Major Matt Mason (action figure)
Captain Action (action figure)
Captain Action (action figure)
Operation
Operation
Scalextric
Scalextric
Barrel of Monkeys
Barrel of Monkeys
Motorific (slot car toys)
Motorific (slot car toys)
Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots
Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots

Were you born on May 1, 1968?

If you were born on this date, then it is unlikely that you will remember anything from the year 1968.

This is because humans find it difficult to retrieve memories of their early childhood.

If you are looking for some childhood nostalgia, then you should check out May 1, 1974, instead.

Celebrity birthdays

Celebrity birthdays

Celebrities, historical figures, and other notable people who were born on May 1.

Calamity Jane

Calamity Jane

Historical figure Deceased
Born on May 1, 1852
She was not alive on this date.

Tim McGraw

Tim McGraw

American country singer
Born on May 1, 1967
He turned 1 on this day in 1968.

Mary Lou McDonald

Mary Lou McDonald

Irish politician
Born on May 1, 1969
She was born exactly one year after this date.

Jamie Dornan

Jamie Dornan

Actor
Born on May 1, 1982
He was born exactly 14 years after this date.

Romain Ntamack

Romain Ntamack

Rugby player
Born on May 1, 1999
He was born exactly 31 years after this date.

Charli D'Amelio

Charli D'Amelio

Social media personality
Born on May 1, 2004
She was born exactly 36 years after this date.

Holidays

Holidays

National holidays and famous events that fall on May 1:

USA

US President

Lyndon Baines Johnson was the President of the United States on May 1, 1968.

UK

UK Prime Minister

Harold Wilson was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.

Ireland

Irish Taoiseach

Jack Lynch was the Taoiseach of Ireland.

Conception

Conception dates

Conception estimates for this date.

  • A baby that was born on May 1, 1968 was most likely conceived around August 9, 1967.
  • The due date for a baby that was conceived on May 1, 1968 is close to January 22, 1969.

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Stats for May 1, 1968

Statistics

Here are some interesting statistics about May 1, 1968:

  • 20,658 days have passed since this date.
  • 2,951 weeks have passed.
  • 1,784,854,800 seconds have passed since May 1, 1968.
  • If you were born on this day, your heart has beat approximately 2,082,330,600 times.
  • Since then, the Earth has traveled approximately 920,985,076,800 miles through space.
  • If you were born on this day, your eyes have blinked approximately 297,475,800 times.
  • You have taken approximately 153,497,513 steps. That's roughly 68,221 miles.
  • 21,418,258 meteors have entered the Earth's atmosphere.
  • How many years ago was 1968?

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