It may seem shocking, as someone living in the modern world in 2021, that there was a time when there were bans on interracial marriages – but that time, unfortunately, and actually existed.
But in 1967, a couple named Richard and Mildred Loving had enough of the band and took their case straight to the supreme court in what would become Loving v. Virginia. Now, Loving Day is celebrated every year on June 12 to mark the momentous occasion.
Adoring Paul Newman
Paul Newman was one of the hottest film stars from the Golden Age of Hollywood and the one that many boomers look back on and mourn for. Of course, kids today only recognize him from the side of his salad dressing bottles, but anyone who’s seen his films knows why he was such a hit in the 50s and beyond.
Some of his biggest films came out around the ‘60s and ‘70s, including the 1967 hit, "Cool Hand Luke," in which he played the role of the title character, Luke Jackson.
Five-and-Dime Stores
Five-and-dime stores came into existence in 1879, created by a failed department store chain, Woolworths. But back in the day, they were extremely popular, that is until Walmart and Amazon, and other mega-stores ran them out of business.
Still, many look back and miss the days of shopping at the cheap and cheerful neighborhood five-and-dime. There may still be a few sprinkled here and there, and you may find one if you’re lucky, but the majority have been closed.
Watching Evel Knievel & The Wide World of Sports
Who could forget watching legendary stuntman Evel Knievel make his first jump on Wide World of Sports on ABC in 1967?
The infamous entertainer appeared on the program a number of times, including in 1975 when he jumped 14 Greyhound buses at Ohio’s King’s Island amusement park. Five of his seven appearances on the show rank in the program’s top 20 of all time.
Watching Bonanza
"Bonanza" was one of the very first TV programs that came on color TV, and that was a big deal. Color TV sets, on the other hand, weren’t so common at first. But, those who didn’t have one at home could always make friends with someone who had one!
The show first came out in 1959 and became NBC’s longest-running western, as well as the second-longest-running western series on U.S TV, spanning more than 430 episodes into 1973, meaning many boomers grew up watching it!