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October 8, 1968

October 8, 1968, was a Tuesday. It was 56 years, 2 months, and 14 days ago. The zodiac star sign for this date is Libra.

On This Day

What happened?

What happened on October 8, 1968?

  • The Troubles begin in Northern Ireland.
Song charts

Music charts

These songs were on top of the music charts in the United States and the United Kingdom on October 8, 1968:

  • United States: "Hey Jude" by The Beatles
  • United Kingdom: "Those Were The Days" by Mary Hopkin

The Billboard Hot 100 on October 8, 1968

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

  • Hey Jude - The Beatles
  • Harper Valley P.T.A. - Jeannie C. Riley
  • Fire - The Crazy World Of Arthur Brown
  • Little Green Apples - O.C. Smith
  • Girl Watcher - The O'Kaysions
Play the top songs 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.
Rachel, Rachel

Top movie at the box office

The movie "Rachel, Rachel" was at the top of the box office on October 8, 1968.

Facts

This date was 20,529 days ago. Approximately 684 months have passed. It was the 282nd day of 1968, in week 41. The decade was the swinging sixties. People born on this day are currently 56 years old and belong to the Generation X generation. 1968 had 366 days because it was a leap year. The Earth has experienced 228 seasons of weather since then.

Take me back to October 8, 1968

Let's take a stroll down memory lane.

It is Tuesday, October 8, 1968. Anyone born today will have the star sign Libra. The summer is long gone. Temperatures have become much cooler, and the evenings are beginning to get darker.

There is a fresh, earthy scent in the air, and fallen leaves have carpeted driveways, lawns, pathways, and sidewalks. In America, the song "Hey Jude" by The Beatles is at the top of the singles charts, while "Those Were The Days" by Mary Hopkin is the number-one song in the UK. Lyndon Baines Johnson is the President of the United States, and the movie Rachel, Rachel is at the top of the box office.

Harold Wilson is the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. 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.

The films "Funny Girl" and "Oliver!" are being shown in movie theaters at the moment. A new British musical drama film called "Oliver!" has just been released. The movie, starring Ron Moody and Oliver Reed, is based on the 1838 novel "Oliver Twist" by Charles Dickens. If you were to travel back to this day, notable figures such as Ramon Novarro, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Judy Garland, and Brian Jones would all still be alive.

On TV, people are watching popular shows such as "Bonanza", "Steptoe and Son", "Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In", and "Columbo". Kids and teenagers are watching TV shows such as "Lassie", "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood", "The Archie Show", and "The Adventures of Gulliver". Popular toys at the moment include Army men, Major Matt Mason (action figure), Suzy Homemaker, and Twister mat.

Zodiac info

Zodiac

Zodiac, birthstone, and birth flower information.

Personality summary image

  • Zodiac Sign (Astrology): Anyone born on October 8, 1968, will have the star sign Libra.
  • Zodiac Element: Air.
  • Chinese Zodiac Animal: In the Chinese Zodiac, 1968 was the year of the Monkey (Yang Water).
  • The Life Path Number for this date is 6.
  • Native American Zodiac: October 8, 1968 falls under the Raven.
  • Birthstone: A person during the month of October will have the birthstones Tourmaline and Opal.
  • Birth flower (October): The Marigold and the Cosmos.
News

News, nostalgia, and fads

These are news stories, trending topics, and fads that were popular on October 8, 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 October 8, 1968.

What are your strengths and weaknesses?

View Personality Summary

Events

What happened around this time?

Notable events that happened close to October 8, 1968.

  • September 8, 1968: Black Panther Party founder Huey Newton is sentenced to 2-15 years in prison for the manslaughter of Oakland police officer John Frey.
  • September 26, 1968: The movie "Oliver!" is released.
  • September 30, 1968: The Boeing 747 is presented to the public for the first time.
  • This date: October 8, 1968
  • October 10, 1968: Baseball: The Detroit Tigers defeat the St. Louis Cardinals by 4-3 to win the 1968 World Series.
  • October 20, 1968: Former First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy is married to Aristotle Onassis.
  • October 25, 1968:
    • Led Zeppelin play their first show.
    • 32 people die after Northeast Airlines Flight 946 crashes on Moose Mountain in New Hampshire.
  • October 30, 1968:
    • Marvin Gaye releases the single "I Heard It Through the Grapevine".
    • Actor Ramon Novarro is murdered at his home in Los Angeles.
  • November 5, 1968: Richard Nixon is elected as the President of the United States.

1960s fashion

Photographs of 1960s fashion and hairstyles.

1960s fashion

Television shows

TV shows in 1968

The following TV shows were popular in October 1968:

TV shows from October 1968.

Here's Lucy
Here's Lucy
Adam-12
Adam-12
Hawaii Five-O
Hawaii Five-O
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?

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

Kids TV shows on October 8, 1968

Cartoons and TV shows that children and teenagers were watching on this day in 1968:

Joe 90
Joe 90
The Adventures of Gulliver
The Adventures of Gulliver
The Archie Show
The Archie Show

Wacky Races
Wacky Races
The Banana Splits
The Banana Splits
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
Toys

Popular toys and games in 1968

Toys and games that were popular in 1968:

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 October 8, 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 October 8, 1974, instead.

Celebrity birthdays

Celebrity birthdays

Celebrities, historical figures, and other notable people who were born on October 8.

Jesse Jackson

Jesse Jackson

Activist
Born on October 8, 1941
He turned 27 on this day in 1968.

R. L. Stine

R. L. Stine

Author
Born on October 8, 1943
He turned 25 on this day in 1968.

Chevy Chase

Chevy Chase

Actor
Born on October 8, 1943
He turned 25 on this day in 1968.

Sigourney Weaver

Sigourney Weaver

Actress
Born on October 8, 1949
She turned 19 on this day in 1968.

Karyn Parsons

Karyn Parsons

Actress
Born on October 8, 1966
She turned 2 on this day in 1968.

Matt Damon

Matt Damon

Actor
Born on October 8, 1970
He was born exactly 2 years after this date.

Nick Cannon

Nick Cannon

Actor
Born on October 8, 1980
He was born exactly 12 years after this date.

Bruno Mars

Bruno Mars

Singer
Born on October 8, 1985
He was born exactly 17 years after this date.

Angus T. Jones

Angus T. Jones

Actor
Born on October 8, 1993
He was born exactly 25 years after this date.

Barbara Palvin

Barbara Palvin

Hungarian model
Born on October 8, 1993
She was born exactly 25 years after this date.

Bella Thorne

Bella Thorne

Actress
Born on October 8, 1997
She was born exactly 29 years after this date.

USA

US President

Lyndon Baines Johnson was the President of the United States on October 8, 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 October 8, 1968 was most likely conceived around January 16, 1968.
  • The due date for a baby that was conceived on October 8, 1968 is close to July 1, 1969.

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Stats for October 8, 1968

Statistics

Here are some interesting statistics about October 8, 1968:

  • 20,529 days have passed since this date.
  • 2,932 weeks have passed.
  • 1,773,709,200 seconds have passed since October 8, 1968.
  • If you were born on this day, your heart has beat approximately 2,069,327,400 times.
  • Since then, the Earth has traveled approximately 915,233,947,200 miles through space.
  • If you were born on this day, your eyes have blinked approximately 295,618,200 times.
  • You have taken approximately 152,538,991 steps. That's roughly 67,795 miles.
  • 21,284,510 meteors have entered the Earth's atmosphere.
  • How many years ago was 1968?

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