70+ Notable Things That Happened the 1970s
It'll be a golden age for music and movies, but the decade has a dark side too.
To sum up the '70s seems impossible — so much happened in this incredible decade. Here are just a few highlights from an era that brought you shocking events, serial killers, killer albums, incredible sports moments, great books, greater movies, and boundary-pushing television.
1970: A Diva Goes Solo
Diana Ross and the Supremes perform their last concert on January 14 in Las Vegas, before Ross's departure to embark on a solo career.
1970: The Beatles Break Up
The Beatles announce their breakup on April 10, before the release of their last album, Let It Be.
1970: Future First Lady
Melanija Knavs (germanized to Melania Knauss) is born on April 26 in Novo Mesto, Slovenia. She married Donald Trump in 2005.
1970: A Shocking Day
On May 4, members of the Ohio National Guard open fire at Kent State University students who were protesting the Vietnam War. Four were fatally shot.
1970: Gone Before Their Time
On September 18, Jimi Hendrix is found dead after an overdose. Less than a month later on October 4, Janis Joplin would also be found dead following an overdose.
1970: She's Gonna Make It After All
With a toss of her hat, Mary Richards wins us over when The Mary Tyler Moore Show debuts on September 19.
1970: Uniting for the Environment
Less than a year after President Nixon proposes it in his State of the Union address, the newly formed Environmental Protection Agency opens its doors on December 2. One month prior to its opening, the Senate passes The Clean Air Act Extension of 1970 with a vote of 73-0.
1970: Beyond the Stars
On December 15, Venera 7 is the first space probe to land on Venus and transmit data back to Earth.
1971: Breakthrough Magazine
New York magazine prints the first Ms. magazine insert. Co-founded by Gloria Steinem, Ms. would be published regularly as an independent publication in 1972.
1971: Goodbye to a Fashion Icon
On January 20, Coco Chanel dies in her apartment at the Ritz Hotel. The next day, Yves Saint Laurent (who frequently referenced Chanel in his collections) shocks the fashion industry with a collection that borrowed heavily from 1940s influences. Detractors at the time called the collection "ugly" and thought it was too soon of a reminder of World War II.
1971: Manson Sentenced
On March 29, Charles Manson and four followers are sentenced to death.
1971: Take the Train
On May 1, Amtrak begins service. Here, a train pulls into Chicago Union Station in 1979.
1971: Wedded to Rock
On May 13, Mick Jagger weds Bianca Rosa Perez-Mora in St. Tropez.
1971: The Most Magical Place on Earth
On October 1, Walt Disney World officially opens. The resort includes The Magic Kingdom, Disney's Contemporary Resort, Disney's Polynesian Resort, and Disney's Fort Wilderness and Campground.
1971: A World of Pure Imagination
Gene Wilder shines as Willy Wonka in the new movie Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, which premieres June 30.
1971: A Legendary Album
On November 8, Led Zeppelin releases their untitled album that would be known as Led Zeppelin IV. A single recorded for the album would forever top lists of all-time greatest rock songs: Stairway to Heaven.
1971: Literary Fight
Norman Mailer and Gore Vidal fight on the December 5 episode of The Dick Cavett Show. Backstage, Mailer headbutts Vidal. Here, in 1985, the two set their feud aside to speak out against Reagan and the arms race.
1972: A New Addition to the Arcade
Pong arrives at the arcade this year. Here's an early arcade console — later, it would be designed to have enough room for resting your beer.
1972: An Offer He Can't Refuse
Francis Ford Coppola's epic adaptation of The Godfather premieres on March 15.
1972: Scandal!
On June 17, five White House operatives are arrested in conjunction with the break-in of the DNC's office at the Watergate.
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