Year 1971 in History

Cigarette advertisements are banned from broadcast media in the US

1st "Quickie" Divorce granted in UK

Tamla Records releases Marvin Gaye's single "What's Going On" about police brutality, from the album of the same name

What's Going On is the eleventh studio album by the American soul singer Marvin Gaye. It was released on May 21, 1971, by the Motown Records subsidiary label Tamla.

Military coup in Uganda led by Major General Idi Amin

Idi Amin Dada Oumee (30 May 1928 – 16 August 2003) was a Ugandan military officer and politician who served as the third president of Uganda from 1971 until his overthrow in 1979.

General Idi Amin ousts Milton Obote and appoints himself President and Dictator of Uganda

Idi Amin Dada Oumee (30 May 1928 – 16 August 2003) was a Ugandan military officer and politician who served as the third president of Uganda from 1971 until his overthrow in 1979.

British actress Judi Dench (36) weds British actor Michael Williams (35) at St Mary's Catholic Church in Hampstead, Lond

British actress Judi Dench (36) weds British actor Michael Williams (35) at St Mary's Catholic Church in Hampstead, London, until his death in 2001

NASDAQ Composite stock market index debuts with 50 companies and a starting value of 100

First gay-themed TV episode - All in the Family

President Richard Nixon installs a secret recording system in the White House

Audio recordings of conversations between U.S. President Richard Nixon and Nixon administration officials, Nixon family members, and White House staff surfaced during the Watergate scandal in 1973…

PGA Championship Men's Golf, PGA National East: Jack Nicklaus leads wire-to-wire for his second career Grand Slam, winni

PGA Championship Men's Golf, PGA National East: Jack Nicklaus leads wire-to-wire for his second career Grand Slam, winning by two strokes over Billy Casper

Prime Minister of Canada Pierre Trudeau (51) weds author and actress Margaret Joan Sinclair (23) at a private ceremony i

Prime Minister of Canada Pierre Trudeau (51) weds author and actress Margaret Joan Sinclair (23) at a private ceremony in North Vancouver, Canada

"Stairway to Heaven" by Led Zeppelin is first performed live at Ulster Hall, Belfast, by Robert Plant, Jimmy Page, John

"Stairway to Heaven" by Led Zeppelin is first performed live at Ulster Hall, Belfast, by Robert Plant, Jimmy Page, John Bonham, and John Paul Jones

Joe Frazier ends Muhammad Ali's 31-fight winning streak at Madison Square Garden, NYC, retaining the heavyweight boxing

Joe Frazier ends Muhammad Ali's 31-fight winning streak at Madison Square Garden, NYC, retaining the heavyweight boxing title by unanimous points decision over 15 rounds in the "Fight of the Century"

Bangladesh (East Pakistan) under Sheikh Mujibur Rahman declares independence from Pakistan

Sheikh Mujibur Rahman (17 March 1920 – 15 August 1975), also known by the honorific Bangabandhu, was a Bangladeshi politician, revolutionary, statesman, activist and diarist who was the founding…

Stephen Sondheim's "Follies" opens at Winter Garden Theater, NYC; runs for 524 performances, then most expensive Broadwa

Stephen Sondheim's "Follies" opens at Winter Garden Theater, NYC; runs for 524 performances, then most expensive Broadway musical at the time

Carole King's album "Tapestry" goes to #1 on US album charts and stays there for 15 weeks

Aviator Howard Hughes divorces 2nd wife Jean Peters after 14 years of marriage

National Security Advisor Henry Kissinger secretly visits the People's Republic of China to negotiate a detente between

National Security Advisor Henry Kissinger secretly visits the People's Republic of China to negotiate a detente between the US and China

th British Open Men's Golf, Royal Birkdale: Lee Trevino wins the first of his consecutive Open Championships, a stroke a

th British Open Men's Golf, Royal Birkdale: Lee Trevino wins the first of his consecutive Open Championships, a stroke ahead of Lu Liang-Huan of Taiwan

George Harrison's benefit concerts for Bangladesh (two shows) take place at Madison Square Garden, NYC; performers inclu

George Harrison's benefit concerts for Bangladesh (two shows) take place at Madison Square Garden, NYC; performers include Bob Dylan, Ringo Starr, Ravi Shankar, Eric Clapton, Billy Preston, and Leon Russell

British actress Joan Collins (38) divorces second husband, British actor and singer-songwriter Anthony Newley (39), afte

British actress Joan Collins (38) divorces second husband, British actor and singer-songwriter Anthony Newley (39), after 8 years of marriage

Bobby Orr signs a five-year contract with the Boston Bruins worth one million dollars, the first million-dollar contract

Bobby Orr signs a five-year contract with the Boston Bruins worth one million dollars, the first million-dollar contract in NHL history

Apple Records releases John Lennon's second solo studio album, "Imagine," in the US; it tops the charts in the US, UK, A

Apple Records releases John Lennon's second solo studio album, "Imagine," in the US; it tops the charts in the US, UK, Australia, and three other countries

"The French Connection," directed by William Friedkin and starring Gene Hackman, Roy Scheider, and Fernando Rey, premier

"The French Connection," directed by William Friedkin and starring Gene Hackman, Roy Scheider, and Fernando Rey, premieres in the US (Academy Awards Best Picture 1972)

Apple Records releases John Lennon's second solo studio album "Imagine" in the UK, and it tops the charts in the US, UK,

Apple Records releases John Lennon's second solo studio album "Imagine" in the UK, and it tops the charts in the US, UK, Australia, and three other countries

United Nations votes to expel the Chinese Nationalist-ruled Taiwan and admit the Communist People's Republic of China

Foreign relations of Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), are accomplished by efforts of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, a cabinet-level ministry of the central government.

Battle of Garibpur: Indian troops aided by the Mukti Bahini, Bengali guerrillas, defeat the army of Pakistan

MLB center fielder Willie Mays (40) weds Mae Louise Allen in Mexico City

Stanley Kubrick's cult classic film "A Clockwork Orange" premieres, based on the novel by Anthony Burgess and starring M

Stanley Kubrick's cult classic film "A Clockwork Orange" premieres, based on the novel by Anthony Burgess and starring Malcolm McDowell

Spectator crush at Ibrox Park in Glasgow, Scotland, as Rangers supporters leave the ground with the home team 0-1 behind

Spectator crush at Ibrox Park in Glasgow, Scotland, as Rangers supporters leave the ground with the home team 0-1 behind to Old Firm rivals Celtic; 66 deaths and more than 200 injuries; Rangers score late for 1-1

Melvin H. Evans is inaugurated as the first elected Governor of the Virgin Islands

Melvin Herbert Evans (August 7, 1917 – November 27, 1984) was an American politician who served as the first elected governor of the United States Virgin Islands and was the first black person...

1st one-day international, Australia v England at the MCG

Berkeley chemists announce the first synthetic growth hormones

-40°F (-40°C) in Hawley Lake, Arizona (state record)

The list of snowiest places in the United States by state shows average annual snowfall totals for the period from mid-1985 to mid-2015.

29 pilot whales beach themselves & die at San Clemente Island, California

Bollingen Prize for poetry awarded to Richard Wilbur

The Bollingen Prize for Poetry is a literary honor bestowed on an American poet. Every two years, the award recognizes a poet for best new volume of work or lifetime achievement.

Tigers ace reliever John Hiller, 27, sufferes a heart attack, but later makes a remarkable comeback to record 38 saves

John Frederick Hiller is a Canadian former baseball relief pitcher who played 15 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Detroit Tigers between 1965 and 1980.

"All in the Family" premieres on CBS featuring 1st toilet flush on TV

In a high profile NHL trade, the Montreal Canadiens obtain future Hockey Hall of Fame left wing Frank Mahovlich from Det

In a high profile NHL trade, the Montreal Canadiens obtain future Hockey Hall of Fame left wing Frank Mahovlich from Detroit, in exchange for Bill Collins, Guy Charron and Mickey Redmond

Cricketer John Snow takes 7-40 for England to beat Australia by 299 runs

John Augustine Snow is a retired English international cricketer who played for Sussex from 1961 to 1977 and represented England in 49 Test matches.

Aswan High Dam officially opens in Egypt

Egypt, officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a country spanning the northeast corner of Africa and southwest corner of Asia via the Sinai Peninsula.

At a party conference in Dublin, Sinn Féin end their 65 year abstentionist policy and agree that any elected representat

At a party conference in Dublin, Sinn Féin end their 65 year abstentionist policy and agree that any elected representative could take their seat at the Dáil

NHL Writers' Association renamed Professional Hockey Writers' Association

The Professional Hockey Writers Association (PHWA) is a North American professional association for ice hockey journalists writing for newspapers, magazines and websites.

The Beatles' song "Helter Skelter" is played at Charles Manson trial

Ard Schenk skates world record 1000m (1:18.8)

Adrianus "Ard" Schenk is a former speed skater from the Netherlands, who is considered to be one of the best in history.

John Lennon meets Yoko Ono's parents in Japan

Yoko Ono is a Japanese artist, musician, activist, and filmmaker. Her work also encompasses performance art and filmmaking. Ono grew up in Tokyo and moved to New York City in 1952 to join her family.

Montgomery St Station, last link in Bay Area Rapid Transit in San Francisco, 'holed thru'

NFL Draft: Jim Plunkett from Stanford University first pick by New England Patriots

James William Plunkett is an American former professional football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 16 seasons.

Test debut of Dennis Keith Lillee, v England at Adelaide

A series of house searches by the British Army in Catholic areas of Belfast, resulting in serious rioting and gun battle

A series of house searches by the British Army in Catholic areas of Belfast, resulting in serious rioting and gun battles

Baseball announces a special hall of fame wing for black players and coaches

Switzerland votes for national women's suffrage in a referendum - last European country to do so except for Liechtenstei

Switzerland votes for national women's suffrage in a referendum - last European country to do so except for Liechtenstein

5 men are killed near a BBC transmitter on Brougher Mountain, County Tyrone, in a landmine attack carried out by the Iri

5 men are killed near a BBC transmitter on Brougher Mountain, County Tyrone, in a landmine attack carried out by the Irish Republican Army

Montreal Canadien John Believau scores his 500th NHL goal

12,000 South Vietnamese troops cross into Laos

South Vietnam, officially the Republic of Vietnam (RVN; Vietnamese: Việt Nam Cộng hòa, VNCH), was a country in Southeast Asia that existed from 1955 to 1975.

A British soldier dies 7 days after being mortally wounded in an Irish Republican Army attack in North Ireland

Series of tornadoes cuts through Mississippi & Louisiana killing 117

Boston Bruins begin 13 NHL game winning streak

Algeria nationalizes 51 percent of French oil concessions

Doctors in the first Dutch abortion clinic (the Mildredhuis in Arnhem) start to perform aborti provocati

A British soldier dies in Derry after his vehicle had been attacked with petrol bombs (he died as a result of inhaling c

A British soldier dies in Derry after his vehicle had been attacked with petrol bombs (he died as a result of inhaling chemicals from fire extinguishers that were used to put out the fire)

Bomb attack on the Capitol in Washington, D.C.

"City Command" kidnaps 4 US military men at Ankara, Turkey

Egypt refuses to renew the Suez cease fire

Gun battle between Official Irish Republican Army and Provisional IRA leave 1 man killed; result of feud between two win

Gun battle between Official Irish Republican Army and Provisional IRA leave 1 man killed; result of feud between two wings of the IRA developing since the split in 1970

J M Noreiga takes 9-95 WI v India at Port-of-Spain

Three members of the Royal Highland Fusiliers (a regiment of the British Army) are killed by members of the Irish Republ

Three members of the Royal Highland Fusiliers (a regiment of the British Army) are killed by members of the Irish Republican Army

Chatrooms make their debut on ARPANET, the forerunner of the Internet

13th Grammy Awards: Simon & Garfunkel's "Bridge Over Troubled Water", and the Carpenters win

Government of Trygve Bratteli takes office in Norway

Trygve Martin Bratteli (11 January 1910 – 20 November 1984) was a Norwegian newspaper editor, a politician with the Norwegian Labour Party, and Nazi concentration camp survivor.

die in landslide into Lake Yanahuani, Chungar Peru

Philadelphia 76ers outscore Cincinnati Royals 90-80 in 2nd half enroute to a 147-127 victory

Boston Bruins win 13th straight NHL game

The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston. The Bruins compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference.

Vermont seasonal snowfall totals 132.2"

Brian Faulkner becomes the Prime Minister of Northern Ireland

Arthur Brian Deane Faulkner, Baron Faulkner of Downpatrick, (18 February 1921 – 3 March 1977), was the sixth and last Prime Minister of Northern Ireland, from March 1971 until his resignation in...

Dutch 2nd Chamber accept simplified divorce

Serge Gainsbourg releases his concept album "Histoire de Melody Nelson"

Histoire de Melody Nelson is a 1971 concept album by French singer and songwriter Serge Gainsbourg, arranged and co-written by Jean-Claude Vannier.

European council accepts Mansholt Plan laying off 5 million farmers

"Cannon" starring William Conrad as a private detective premieres on CBS-TV; airs for 5 seasons

David Heneker and John Taylor's musical "Charlie Girl" close at the Adelphi Theatre, London, after 2,202 performances

25th Tony Awards: "Sleuth" (Best Play) & "Company" (Best Musical, Original Score, Director) win

The 25th Annual Tony Awards ceremony was held on March 28, 1971, at the Palace Theatre in New York City. The ceremony was broadcast by ABC television.

1st Lt William L Calley Jr found guilty in My Lai (Vietnam) massacre

South Africa national debt hits 5.45 billion

United Kingdom lifts all restrictions on gold ownership

Dark Shadows, American Gothic supernatural soap opera, concludes an almost 5 year run on ABC

The Temptations score their second US No. 1 with "Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me)"

"Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me)" is a song by American soul group the Temptations, written by Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong.

Marine clay under houses liquefies in St-Jean-Vianney, Quebec, 31 die

Chicago, an American '"rock band with horns," begins a six-night, eight-show sold-out run at Carnegie Hall, NYC; all sh

Chicago, an American '"rock band with horns," begins a six-night, eight-show sold-out run at Carnegie Hall, NYC; all shows are recorded and a live four-LP box set is compiled and released later in the year

1st legal off-track betting system begins (OTB-New York)

Philadelphia Phillies open their new home, Veterans Stadium, with a 4-1 win over the Montreal Expos; 55,352, largest eve

Philadelphia Phillies open their new home, Veterans Stadium, with a 4-1 win over the Montreal Expos; 55,352, largest ever crowd to watch a MLB game in Pennsylvania

"Johnny Johnson" opens/closes at Edison Theater NYC for 1 performance

Fort Point, San Francisco dedicated as a national historic site

Egypt, Libya & Syria form federation (FAR)

The Federation of Arab Republics (FAR; Arabic: إتحاد الجمهوريات العربية, romanized: Ittiḥād al-Jumhūrīyāt al-'Arabīyah, lit. 'Union of Arab Republics') was an unsuccessful attempt by Muammar Gaddafi...

Original Codex Reguis (with Edda-liederen) returns to Iceland

Soyuz 10 launches as the world's first mission to the first-ever space station (the Salyut 1) however the docking was un

Soyuz 10 launches as the world's first mission to the first-ever space station (the Salyut 1) however the docking was unsuccessful and the cosmonauts returned to Earth

Soyuz 10 returns to Earth

About 200,000 anti-Vietnam War protesters march on Washington, D.C.

The Vietnam War (1 November 1955 – 30 April 1975) was an armed conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia fought between North Vietnam (Democratic Republic of Vietnam) and South Vietnam (Republic of...

Heaviest rains ever in Bahia district of Brazil, 15" in 24 hrs

Dutch social democratic party/D'66/DS'70 win parliamentary election

Boeing receives contract for Mariner 10, Mercury exploration

Amtrak Railroad begins operation

Amtrak has used a variety of paint schemes (liveries) on its rolling stock since taking over intercity passenger rail service in the United States in 1971.

Rolling Stones release single "Brown Sugar"

"Brown Sugar" is a song recorded by the English rock band the Rolling Stones. Written primarily by Mick Jagger, it is the opening track and lead single from their ninth studio album, Sticky Fingers...

Gretchen Cryer and Nancy Ford's rock musical "The Last Sweet Days of Isaac" closes off-Broadway at the East Side Playhou

Gretchen Cryer and Nancy Ford's rock musical "The Last Sweet Days of Isaac" closes off-Broadway at the East Side Playhouse, NYC

Race riot in Brownsville section of Brooklyn (NYC)

US special delivery rates go from 45 cents to 60 cents

The system for mail delivery in the United States has developed with the nation. Rates were based on the distance between sender and receiver in the nation's early years.

Cleveland's pitcher Steve Dunning hits a grand slam off Oakland Athletics pitcher Diego Seguí

Steven John Dunning is an American former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a right-handed pitcher between 1970 and 1977 for the Cleveland Indians, Texas Rangers,...

Grace Slick of Jefferson Airplane seriously injured in a car accident

Irish Republican Army member William 'Billy' Reid is shot dead by British soldiers in Belfast

William Reid (1 January 1939 – 15 May 1971) was a member of the Belfast Brigade of the Provisional Irish Republican Army.

Stephen Schwartz' musical "Godspell" premieres off-Broadway

Godspell is a musical in two acts with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz and a book by John-Michael Tebelak.

Bulgarian constitution comes into effect

A constitution, or supreme law, is the aggregate of fundamental principles or established precedents that constitute the legal basis of a polity, organization or other type of entity, and commonly...

USSR launches Mars 2, becomes the 1st spacecraft to crash land on Mars

Pentagon reports blacks constitute 11% of US soldiers in SE Asia

A British soldier is killed by members of the Official Irish Republican Army in Belfast

The Official Irish Republican Army or Official IRA (OIRA; Irish: Óglaigh na hÉireann) was an Irish republican paramilitary group whose goal was to remove Northern Ireland from the United Kingdom and...

American rock group Iron Butterfly ("In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida") disbands

Iron Butterfly is an American rock band formed in San Diego, California, in 1966. They are best known for the 1968 hit "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida", providing a dramatic sound that led the way towards the...

A commuter bus plunges into Panama Canal, killing 38 of 43 aboard

The Provisional Irish Republican Army throw a time bomb into Springfield Road British Army base in Belfast, killing Brit

The Provisional Irish Republican Army throw a time bomb into Springfield Road British Army base in Belfast, killing British Army Sergeant Michael Willetts and wounding seven officers

"Court Room" by Clarence Carter hits #61

Clarence George Carter is an American singer, songwriter, musician and record producer.

36 hospitalized during Grateful Dead concert; drunk LSD apple juice

WDXR (now WKPD) TV channel 29 in Paducah, KY (PBS) begins broadcasting

Dutch politician Joseph Luns is appointed Secretary-General of NATO

Joseph Marie Antoine Hubert Luns was a Dutch politician, diplomat and jurist who served as the fifth Secretary General of NATO from 1971 to 1984, being the longest-serving officeholder since the...

Air West flight 706 collides with a US Marine Corps F-4B Phantom jet over Los Angeles killing all 49 aboard the DC-6 and

Air West flight 706 collides with a US Marine Corps F-4B Phantom jet over Los Angeles killing all 49 aboard the DC-6 and the pilot of the F-4B

Soviet Soyuz 11 crew completes 1st transfer to orbiting Salyut space station

The Soviet space program was the state space program of the Soviet Union, active from 1951 until the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991.

General Officer Commanding the British Army Harry Tuzo, then claims that a permanent military solution to the 'troubles'

General Officer Commanding the British Army Harry Tuzo, then claims that a permanent military solution to the 'troubles' in Northern Ireland could not be achieved

Abdul Zahir appointed premier of Afghanistan

11 die in a train crash in Salem, Illinois

US & Japan sign accord to return Okinawa to Japan

"The New York Times" begins publishing excerpts from the Pentagon Papers, classified documents on the long history of th

"The New York Times" begins publishing excerpts from the Pentagon Papers, classified documents on the long history of the U.S. in Vietnam

Vernon E Jordan Jr, appointed exec director of National Urban League

Groningen soccer team forms in Groningen, Netherlands

Social Democratic and Labour Party and Nationalist Members of Parliament refuse to attend the state opening of Stormont

Social Democratic and Labour Party and Nationalist Members of Parliament refuse to attend the state opening of Stormont (North Ireland Parliament)

Pretoria court rules that the former leader of the banned Pan Africanist Congress (PAC), Robert Sobukwe, will not be all

Pretoria court rules that the former leader of the banned Pan Africanist Congress (PAC), Robert Sobukwe, will not be allowed to use his exit permit to leave South Africa for study in the United States

MLB Philadelphia Phillies Rick Wise no-hits Reds, and hits 2 HR's and 3 RBI in 4-0 win at Cincinnati

The 1971 Philadelphia Phillies season was the 89th season for the franchise in Philadelphia.

Angels suspend Alex Johnson (after 5 benchings & 29 fines)

Alex Johnson (December 7, 1942 – February 28, 2015) was an American professional baseball outfielder, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB), from 1964 to 1976, for the Philadelphia Phillies, St.

Bill Graham's New York rock venue Fillmore East closes down, to be succeeded by Fillmore West in San Francisco

Crew of Russian space mission Soyuz 11 found dead upon arrival on earth becoming the only people to die in space

Britain and Argentina sign accord about Falkland Islands

Argentina, officially the Argentine Republic, is a country located in the southern cone of South America and with a claimed portion of Antarctica.

USSR performs underground nuclear test

France performs nuclear test at Mururoa Atoll

France is one of the five nuclear-weapon states recognized by the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) but is not known to possess or develop any chemical or biological weapons.

26th amendment to the US constitution certified (reduces voting age to 18)

The Twenty-sixth Amendment (Amendment XXVI) to the United States Constitution establishes a nationally standardized minimum age of 18 for participation in state and federal elections.

A member of the Official Irish Republican Army (OIRA) is killed in a premature explosion in County Tipperary, Republic o

A member of the Official Irish Republican Army (OIRA) is killed in a premature explosion in County Tipperary, Republic of Ireland

During street disturbances, British soldiers shoot dead two Catholic civilians in Free Derry; riots erupt, the Social De

During street disturbances, British soldiers shoot dead two Catholic civilians in Free Derry; riots erupt, the Social Democratic and Labour Party withdraw from Stormont in protest

Chilean parliament nationalizes American copper mines

Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a country in western South America. It is the southernmost country in the world and the closest to Antarctica, extending along a narrow strip of land...

Juan Corona, indicted for 25 murders

Juan Vallejo Corona (February 7, 1934 – March 4, 2019) was a Mexican serial killer who was convicted of the murders of 25 transient laborers found buried in peach orchards along the Feather River in...

The Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) withdraw from Stormont (North Ireland Parliament) after no inquiry is anno

The Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) withdraw from Stormont (North Ireland Parliament) after no inquiry is announced into the shooting dead of Seamus Cusack and Desmond Beattie

Sudan military coup under maj Hashem al-Atta, Numeiry flees

Sudanese military counter-coup under premier Numeiry

The British Army carries out early morning raids across Northern Ireland and arrests 48 people

Northern Ireland is a part of the United Kingdom in the north-east of the island of Ireland. It has been variously described as a country, province or region.

WUHQ TV channel 41 in Battle Creek, Michigan (ABC) begins broadcasting

Apollo 15 launches (Scott and Irwin) for the fourth manned landing on the Moon

Apollo 15 (July 26 – August 7, 1971) was the ninth crewed mission in the Apollo program and the fourth Moon landing.

Dutch end censorship of "Blue Movie"

38th NFL Chicago All-Star Game: Baltimore 24, All-Stars 17 (52,289 attendees)

Apollo 15 astronauts take a 6½-hour electric car ride on the Moon

The US launches the first satellite into lunar orbit from a manned spacecraft

The British Parliament debate the security situation in Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland is a part of the United Kingdom in the north-east of the island of Ireland. It has been variously described as a country, province or region.

A Catholic man is shot dead by a British soldier in Belfast

A British soldier is shot dead by the Irish Republican Army in Belfast

Operation Demetrius (or Internment) is introduced in Northern Ireland, allowing suspected terrorists to be indefinitely

Operation Demetrius (or Internment) is introduced in Northern Ireland, allowing suspected terrorists to be indefinitely detained without trial; security forces arrest 342 people suspected of supporting paramilitaries

During the internment round-up operation in West Belfast, the Parachute Regiment kills 11 unarmed civilians in what beco

During the internment round-up operation in West Belfast, the Parachute Regiment kills 11 unarmed civilians in what becomes known as the Ballymurphy Massacre

Construction begins on the Louisiana Superdome

Bahrain proclaims independence after 110 years of British rule

Bahrain gains independence from the United Kingdom

Bahrain–United Kingdom relations are the bilateral relations between Bahrain and the United Kingdom.

Over 8,000 workers go on strike in Derry, Northern Ireland, in protest against the introduction of internment, which all

Over 8,000 workers go on strike in Derry, Northern Ireland, in protest against the introduction of internment, which allows suspected terrorists to be indefinitely detained without trial

FBI begins covert investigation of journalist Daniel Schorr

Approximately 130 non-Unionist councillors announce their withdrawal from participation in district councils across Nort

Approximately 130 non-Unionist councillors announce their withdrawal from participation in district councils across Northern Ireland in protest against internment, which allows suspected terrorists to be indefinitely detained without trial

WGTU TV channel 29 in Traverse City, MI (ABC) begins broadcasting

India beats England by 4 wickets in their first win against the English

The England men's cricket team represents England and Wales in international cricket.

The US dollar is allowed to float against the Japanese yen for the first time

The yen is the official currency of Japan. It is the third-most traded currency in the foreign exchange market, after the United States dollar and the euro.

WNPI TV channel 18 in Norwood, NY (PBS) begins broadcasting

Adrienne Beames runs female world record marathon (2:46:30)

NY's Electric Circus Club goes out of business

Before running for president of the United States in 2016, Donald Trump pursued a career as a businessman, with a focus on renovating skyscrapers, hotels, casinos, and golf courses.

A baby girl and an Ulster Defence Regiment (UDR) soldier are killed in separate shooting incidents in Northern Ireland

Alaskan 727 crashes into Chilkoot Mountain, Alaska, killing 109

Astros pitcher J.R. Richard debuts, striking out 15 Giants in a 5-3 win

James Rodney Richard (March 7, 1950 – August 4, 2021) was an American professional baseball player.

Jerry Lewis's sixth Muscular Dystrophy telethon raises $8,125,387

John F. Kennedy Center for Performing Arts opens in Washington, D.C.

The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, commonly known as the Kennedy Center, is the national cultural center of the United States, serving as a "living memorial" to John F. Kennedy.

1,000 convicts riot and seize Attica Correctional Facility in New York

KVUE TV channel 24 in Austin, Texas (ABC) begins broadcasting

Egypt adopts its constitution

The Constitution of the Arab Republic of Egypt was the former constitution of Egypt. It was adopted on 11 September 1971 through a public referendum. It was later amended in 1980, 2005, and 2007.

11 guards & 31 prisoners die in take over at Attica State Prison

The Attica Prison riot took place at the state prison in Attica, New York; it started on September 9, 1971, with a violent takeover of the prison control center in which one prison officer, William...

Frank Robinson hits his 500th HR

Cleveland Indians & Washington Senators, play 20 innings

A number of Unionists resign over the proposed tripartite talks involving Northern Ireland, the UK, and the Republic of

A number of Unionists resign over the proposed tripartite talks involving Northern Ireland, the UK, and the Republic of Ireland

AL OKs Washington Senator move to Arlington (Texas Rangers)

OPEC directs members to negotiate price increases to offset the devaluation of the US dollar

The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC OH-pek) is an organization enabling the co-operation of leading oil-producing and oil-dependent countries in order to collectively...

Eyskens-Cools disband Belgium's parliament

Jim Palmer is the fourth Oriole to win at least 20 games this season

James Alvin Palmer is an American former professional baseball pitcher who played 19 years in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Baltimore Orioles (1965–1967, 1969–1984).

Tripartite talks involving the prime ministers of Northern Ireland, Britain, and the Taoiseach (Irish Prime Minister) of

Tripartite talks involving the prime ministers of Northern Ireland, Britain, and the Taoiseach (Irish Prime Minister) of the Republic of Ireland take place at Chequers, England

Hungarian Cardinal József Mindszenty, after 15 years of refuge in the US Embassy in Budapest, is allowed to leave the co

Hungarian Cardinal József Mindszenty, after 15 years of refuge in the US Embassy in Budapest, is allowed to leave the country

"McMillan & Wife", starring Rock Hudson and Susan Saint James, debuts on NBC-TV

McMillan & Wife (known simply as McMillan from 1976 to 1977) is an American police procedural television series that aired on NBC from September 17, 1971, to April 24, 1977.

Joseph Luns becomes Secretary-General of NATO

Homing pigeon averages a record 133 km/h in a 1,100 km race in Australia

Borden's opens a turn-of-century ice cream parlor at Disney World

A new sitting of the Northern Ireland Parliament at Stormont begins, though the Social Democratic and Labour Party remai

A new sitting of the Northern Ireland Parliament at Stormont begins, though the Social Democratic and Labour Party remains absent due to its continuing protest against internment

Japanese Emperor Hirohito visits the Netherlands

Hirohito (29 April 1901 – 7 January 1989), posthumously known as Shōwa, was Emperor of Japan from 25 December 1926 until his death in 1989.

Frank McGee becomes news anchor of Today Show

WTZH TV channel 24 in Meridian, MS (CBS) suspends broadcasting

2 killed in Memphis racial disturbances

John Lennon and Yoko Ono appear on "Dick Cavett Show"

Start of the 2,500-year celebration of Iran, commemorating the founding of the Persian Empire

Amphitheater in McLaren Park is dedicated in San Francisco

The Jerry Garcia Amphitheater is an outdoor concert venue located in McLaren Park in San Francisco, California, opened in 1971. Its maximum capacity (as of 2022) is 1,200 people.

Cleveland Metroparks' Rocky River Nature Center opens

Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County.

A group of Northern Ireland Members of Parliament begins a 48-hour hunger strike against the policy of internment

The Nepal stock exchange collapses

USSR performs nuclear test

Three Catholic civilians are shot dead by the British Army during an attempted robbery in Newry, County Down

A member of the Irish Republican Army (IRA) is shot dead by undercover Royal Ulster Constabulary officers during a bomb

A member of the Irish Republican Army (IRA) is shot dead by undercover Royal Ulster Constabulary officers during a bomb attack in Belfast

A man dies two days after being shot during an Irish Republican Army attack on the British Army in Belfast, Northern Ire

A man dies two days after being shot during an Irish Republican Army attack on the British Army in Belfast, Northern Ireland

An Assembly, attended only by Nationalist politicians, and acting as an alternative to Stormont, meet in Dungiven Castle

Gerard Newe becomes the first Catholic to serve in any Northern Ireland government since 1920; Newe was appointed to try

Gerard Newe becomes the first Catholic to serve in any Northern Ireland government since 1920; Newe was appointed to try to improve community relations

The Irish Republican Army (IRA) explodes a bomb at the Post Office Tower in London

From 1969 until 1997, the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) conducted an armed paramilitary campaign primarily in Northern Ireland and England, aimed at ending British rule in Northern Ireland...

Baltimore Orioles pitcher Pat Dobson no-hits the Yomiuri Giants, 2 - 0; first no-hitter in history of exhibition play be

Baltimore Orioles pitcher Pat Dobson no-hits the Yomiuri Giants, 2 - 0; first no-hitter in history of exhibition play between American and Japanese teams

"Play Misty For Me" premieres

Play Misty for Me is a 1971 American neo noir psychological thriller film directed by and starring Clint Eastwood, his directorial debut. Jessica Walter and Donna Mills co-star.

Bolivia passes death penalty for political kidnapping

US performs underground nuclear test at Amchitka Island Aleutians

Amchitka Island (Aleut: Amchixtax̂;) is a volcanic, tectonically unstable and uninhabited island in the Rat Islands group of the Aleutian Islands in southwest Alaska.

David Storey's "Changing Room" premieres in London

The Changing Room is a 1971 play by David Storey, set in a men's changing room before, during and after a rugby league football game.

US table tennis team arrived in China

China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia.

Man-made earthslide at Kawasaki Japan, kills 15

Mariner 9, 1st to orbit another planet (Mars)

Mariner 9 (Mariner Mars '71 / Mariner-I) was a robotic spacecraft that contributed greatly to the exploration of Mars and was part of the NASA Mariner program.

Enthronment of Pope Shenouda III as Pope of Alexandria

The Compton inquiry is published, acknowledging that there was ill-treatment of internees, but rejected claims of system

The Compton inquiry is published, acknowledging that there was ill-treatment of internees, but rejected claims of systematic brutality or torture (Northern Ireland)

A British soldier is shot dead by the Irish Republican Army (IRA) in Belfast

Disney World's Fort Wilderness opens

Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground is a themed camping resort located in the Magic Kingdom Resort Area at the Walt Disney World Resort, adjacent to Bay Lake, near Disney's Wilderness Lodge.

US performs nuclear test at Nevada Test Site

The Nevada National Security Sites (N2S2 or NNSS), popularized as the Nevada Test Site (NTS) until 2010, is a reservation of the United States Department of Energy located in the southeastern portion...

A member of the Irish Republican Army (IRA) is killed in a premature bomb explosion in Lurgan, County Armagh

China People's Republic seated in UN Security Council

A British Army bomb-disposal specialist is killed by a bomb in Lurgan, County Armagh

37th Heisman Trophy Award: Pat Sullivan, Auburn (QB)

Soviet Mars 2 becomes 1st spacecraft to crash land on Mars

The Soviet space program was the state space program of the Soviet Union, active from 1951 until the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991.

First $150,000 open golf championship at Walt Disney World

The U.S. Professional Match Play Championship was a PGA Tour event that was played in North Carolina in the early 1970s. The event was first played as the Liggett & Myers Open Match Play Championship...

The Chicago Cubs release longtime star and future Hall of Famer Ernie Banks, ending his 19-year MLB career; they announc

The Chicago Cubs release longtime star and future Hall of Famer Ernie Banks, ending his 19-year MLB career; they announce Banks will serve as a coach on manager Leo Durocher's staff. Banks finishes with 512 home runs and 1,636 RBIs

Frank Robinson is traded from the Baltimore Orioles to the Los Angeles Dodgers

Frank Robinson, nicknamed "the Judge", was an American professional baseball outfielder and manager in Major League Baseball (MLB) who played for five teams over 21 seasons: the Cincinnati Reds...

India invades West Pakistan claiming hundreds of lives and starting the full scale Indo-Pakistani War of 1971

McGurk's Bar bombing: the UVF explode a bomb at a Catholic-owned pub in Belfast, killing fifteen Catholic civilians and

McGurk's Bar bombing: the UVF explode a bomb at a Catholic-owned pub in Belfast, killing fifteen Catholic civilians and wounding seventeen others; this was the highest death toll from a single incident in Belfast during 'the Troubles'

Ian Dury performs his first gig with Kilburn and the High Roads at Croydon School of Art

Ian Robins Dury (12 May 1942 – 27 March 2000) was an English singer, songwriter and actor who rose to fame in the late 1970s, during the punk and new wave era of rock music.

A woman dies trying to salvage property from the Salvation Army Citadel in Belfast after bomb which started a large fire

A woman dies trying to salvage property from the Salvation Army Citadel in Belfast after bomb which started a large fire in an adjoining building

An off-duty member of the Ulster Defence Regiment is shot dead by members of the Irish Republican Army in County Tyrone,

An off-duty member of the Ulster Defence Regiment is shot dead by members of the Irish Republican Army in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland

West German Chancellor Willy Brandt receives the Nobel Peace Prize

Willy Brandt was a German politician and statesman who was leader of the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD) from 1964 to 1987 and concurrently served as the chancellor of West Germany from 1969...

A bomb explodes outside a furniture showroom on the mainly-Protestant and loyalist Shankill Road, Belfast; four civilian

A bomb explodes outside a furniture showroom on the mainly-Protestant and loyalist Shankill Road, Belfast; four civilians (including two babies) were killed and nineteen wounded

John Sinclair (sentence: 10 yrs, sold 2 marijuana joints) is freed

Golden Gate Bridge lights out all night due to power failure

The Golden Gate Bridge is a suspension bridge spanning the Golden Gate, the one-mile-wide (1.6 km) strait connecting San Francisco Bay and the Pacific Ocean in California, United States.

USSR performs nuclear test at the Semipalatinsk Test Site in northeast Kazakhstan

Don McLean's 8+ minute version of "American Pie" released

"American Pie" is a song by American singer and songwriter Don McLean. Recorded and released in 1971 on the album of the same name, the single was the number-one US hit for four weeks in 1972...

"Diamonds are Forever", 7th James Bond film, last starring Sean Conner, also starring Jill St. John is 1st released in W

"Diamonds are Forever", 7th James Bond film, last starring Sean Conner, also starring Jill St. John is 1st released in West Germany

1st Candlelight Processional at the EPCOT Center, Disney World

The Walt Disney World Resort is an entertainment resort complex located about 20 miles (32 km) southwest of Orlando, Florida, United States.

CBS airs "Homecoming A Christmas Story" as a TV movie that evolves into long running series "The Waltons"

A publican is killed as he tried to remove a bomb from his pub, Northern Ireland

KUAC TV channel 9 in Fairbanks/College, AK (PBS) begins broadcasting

Longest game in NFL history as Miami Dolphins beat KC Chiefs, 27-24 in 2OT in AFL playoff game; duration: 82 minutes and

Longest game in NFL history as Miami Dolphins beat KC Chiefs, 27-24 in 2OT in AFL playoff game; duration: 82 minutes and 40 seconds

A member of the Irish Republican Army is killed in a premature bomb explosion in Santry, Dublin.

Edmund Compton, then Northern Ireland Ombudsman, is replaced by John Benn

Famous Births

Jeremy Renner is born

Jeremy Renner, American actor, known for american actor, was born on 1971-01-07. Jeremy Lee Renner is an American actor.

Mary J. Blige is born

Mary J. Blige, American singer, known for american singer, was born on 1971-01-11.

Regina King is born

Regina King, American actress and director, known for american actress and director, was born on 1971-01-15. Regina Rene King is an American actress, director and producer.

Kid Rock is born

Kid Rock, American musician, known for american musician, was born on 1971-01-17. Robert James Ritchie, known professionally as Kid Rock, is an American musician, singer, rapper, and songwriter.

Simon Pegg is born

Simon Pegg, English actor, known for english actor, was born on 1971-02-14. Simon John Pegg (né Beckingham; born 14 February 1970) is an English actor, comedian and screenwriter.

Kent Desormeaux is born

Kent Desormeaux, American athlete, known for american jockey, was born on 1971-02-27. Kent Jason Desormeaux is an American thoroughbred horse racing Hall of Fame jockey who holds the U.S.

Julie Bowen is born

Julie Bowen, American actress, known for american actress, was born on 1971-03-03. Julie Bowen is an American actress.

Rachel Weisz is born

Rachel Weisz, English actress, known for british actress, was born on 1971-03-07. Rachel Hannah Weisz is an English actress.

Queen Latifah is born

Queen Latifah, American rapper and actress, known for american rapper and actress, was born on 1971-03-18.

Martin McDonagh is born

Martin McDonagh, British british-born irish playwright and filmmaker, known for british-born irish playwright and filmmaker, was born on 1971-03-26.

Vince Vaughn is born

Vince Vaughn, American actor, known for american actor, was born on 1971-03-28. Vincent Anthony Vaughn is an American actor.

MacKenzie Scott is born

MacKenzie Scott, American philanthropist and novelist, known for american philanthropist and novelist, was born on 1971-04-07.

Shannen Doherty is born

Shannen Doherty, American actress, known for american actress, was born on 1971-04-12. Shannen Maria Doherty (April 12, 1971 – July 13, 2024) was an American actress.

Luis Miguel is born

Luis Miguel, Mexican musician, known for mexican singer, was born on 1971-04-19. Luis Miguel Gallego Basteri is a Mexican singer and record producer.

Melania Trump is born

Uma Thurman is born

Uma Thurman, American actress, known for american actress, was born on 1971-04-29. Uma Karuna Thurman is an American actress.

Andre Agassi is born

Andre Agassi, American athlete, known for american tennis player, was born on 1971-04-29. Andre Kirk Agassi ( AG-ə-see; born April 29, 1970) is an American former professional tennis player.

Bobby Cannavale is born

Bobby Cannavale, American actor, known for american actor, was born on 1971-05-03. Bobby Cannavale is an American actor.

Jim Furyk is born

Jim Furyk, American athlete, known for american professional golfer, was born on 1971-05-12.

Gabriela Sabatini is born

Gabriela Sabatini, Argentine athlete, known for argentine tennis player, was born on 1971-05-16. Gabriela Beatriz Sabatini is an Argentine former professional tennis player. A former world No.

Tina Fey is born

Tina Fey, American actress and comedian, known for american actress and comedian, was born on 1971-05-18. Elizabeth Stamatina "Tina" Fey is an American actress, comedian, writer, and producer.

Louis Theroux is born

Louis Theroux, American american documentarian, known for british and american documentarian, was born on 1971-05-20.

Naomi Campbell is born

Naomi Campbell, British model, known for british model, was born on 1971-05-22. Naomi Elaine Campbell is a British model.

Joseph Fiennes is born

Joseph Fiennes, English actor, known for english actor, was born on 1971-05-27. Joseph Alberic Twisleton-Wykeham-Fiennes, known as Joseph Fiennes, is an English actor.

Lisa Lopes is born

Lisa Lopes, American musician, known for american singer and rapper, was born on 1971-05-27.

Laurent-Désiré Kabila is born

Tupac Shakur is born

Tupac Shakur, American musician, known for american rapper and actor, was born on 1971-06-16.

Phil Mickelson is born

Phil Mickelson, American athlete, known for american professional golfer, was born on 1971-06-16.

Chris O'Donnell is born

Chris O'Donnell, American actor, known for american actor, was born on 1971-06-26. Christopher Eugene O'Donnell is an American actor.

Audra McDonald is born

Audra McDonald, American actress and singer, known for american actress and singer, was born on 1971-07-03. Audra Ann McDonald is an American singer and actress.

Todd Martin is born

Christopher Nolan is born

Christopher Nolan, American american filmmaker, known for british and american filmmaker, was born on 1971-07-30. Sir Christopher Edward Nolan is a British and American filmmaker.

Alan Shearer is born

Alan Shearer, English athlete, known for english former footballer and pundit, was born on 1971-08-13.

Jim Courier is born

John Carmack is born

John Carmack computer programmer and video game developer, known for american computer programmer and video game developer, was born on 1971-08-21. John D.

Claudia Schiffer is born

Claudia Schiffer, German model, known for german model, was born on 1971-08-25. Claudia Maria Schiffer, Lady Drummond is a German model and actress.

Melissa Mccarthy is born

Melissa Mccarthy, American actress, known for american actress, was born on 1971-08-26. Melissa Ann McCarthy is an American comedian, actress, and producer.

Samantha Power is born

Samantha Power, American academic, author and diplomat, known for american academic, author and diplomat, was born on 1971-09-21.

Todd Howard is born

Sadiq Khan is born

Matt Damon is born

Matt Damon, American actor, known for american actor, was born on 1971-10-08. Matthew Paige Damon ( DAY-mən; born October 8, 1970) is an American actor, film producer, and screenwriter.

Annika Sörenstam is born

Annika Sörenstam, American athlete, known for swedish professional golfer, was born on 1971-10-09.

Tonya Harding is born

Tonya Harding, American athlete, known for american former sportswoman, was born on 1971-11-12. Tonya Maxene Price is an American former figure skater and boxer, and reality television personality.

Sarah Silverman is born

Sarah Silverman, American comedian and actress, known for american comedian and actress, was born on 1971-12-01. Sarah Kate Silverman is an American stand-up comedian, actress and writer.

Jennifer Connelly is born

Jennifer Connelly, American actress, known for american actress, was born on 1971-12-12. Jennifer Lynn Connelly is an American actress.

Todd Phillips is born

Todd Phillips, American filmmaker, known for american filmmaker, was born on 1971-12-20. Todd Phillips is an American filmmaker.

Tim Sweeney is born

Tim Sweeney, American video game developer, known for american video game developer, was born on 1971-12-21. Timothy Dean Sweeney is an American video game programmer and businessman.

Ted Cruz is born

Ted Cruz, American politician and attorney, known for american politician and attorney, was born on 1971-12-22.

Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi is born

Notable Deaths

Coco Chanel dies

Coco Chanel, French fashion designer, known for french fashion designer, died on 1971-01-10. Gabrielle Bonheur "Coco" Chanel was a French fashion designer and businesswoman.

James Cash Penney dies

James Cash Penney businessman, known for american businessman, died on 1971-02-12. James Cash Penney Jr.

Thomas E. Dewey dies

Thomas E. Dewey, American politician, known for american politician, died on 1971-03-16.

Jim Morrison dies

Jim Morrison, American singer, known for american singer, died on 1971-07-03. James Douglas Morrison (December 8, 1943 – July 3, 1971) was an American singer-songwriter and poet who was the lead…