Fifty years ago, in what came to be known as the Gulf of Tonkin Incident, North Vietnamese patrol boats attacked the U.S.S. Maddox. The events led to Congress passing the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, which allowed the president to increase U.S. involvement in Vietnam without Congressional approval. In this week's Universal newsreel, the story, including … Continue reading This Week in Universal News: The Gulf of Tonkin Incident, 1964
The launch of Sputnik and the space race led to an era of optimism which influenced pop-culture in America and overseas. We imagined where we might live, the clothes we might wear and the cars we might drive. Words and phrases such as astro and space age entered our vocabulary as a way to describe … Continue reading Looking to the Future: Space Culture on Film
Today is the anniversary of the launch of Apollo 11, the fifth manned mission in NASA’s Apollo program, and the first to land humans on the surface of the Moon. Apollo 11 was the culmination of a decade of work to develop the technology necessary to meet President Kennedy’s goal of “landing a man on … Continue reading Stepping Stones to the Moon
This week, we return to the 1964 World's Fair, where a special exhibit for children touted the wonders of atomic energy. Among other activities, the children learned how to use mechanical hands to safely handle uranium, searched for ore on a light-up map, and rode a stationary bike to discover that it would take thirty … Continue reading This Week in Universal News: World’s Fair Children’s Exhibit, 1964
On June 11, 1963, Vivian Malone and James Hood arrived at the University of Alabama to register for summer classes. Instead of a helpful low-level administrator guiding them through the process, it took the National Guard to ensure their enrollment-- George Wallace, the governor of their state, was blocking the door. Wallace's "Stand in the Schoolhouse … Continue reading This Week in Universal News: The University of Alabama is Desegregated, 1963
There was a time when it was legal to set up a tower of scaffolding and charge spectators for a ticket to climb it and watch the Indianapolis 500. That changed in 1960 when a tower holding more than a hundred spectators toppled, killing two and injuring dozens. This week's Universal newsreel features the Indianapolis … Continue reading This Week in Universal News: Tragedy at the Indianapolis 500, 1960
As April 15 approaches, Americans across the country are filled with dread as they file their taxes and watch money disappear from their pockets. If history provides any relief, we are not the first to feel the burden. In 1789, Ben Franklin famously wrote, “In this world nothing can said to be certain, except death … Continue reading How Computers Changed the Tax Game
This week in Universal News, designer Marc Bohan makes his debut with the House of Dior. The summer preview featured "less flutter and more shape", with retro 1920s styles. http://youtu.be/wQ7OV167cFQ From the release sheet: HOUSE OF DIOR SUMMER PREVIEW: Preview of the House of Dior's summer, 1961 collection, the sensationally successful showing that marks the … Continue reading This Week in Universal News: Summer Fashion Preview, 1961
