January 2
January 2
Football fans crushed in stadium stampede
On January 2, 1971, 66 football (soccer) fans are killed in a stampede at a stadium in Glasgow, Scotland, as they attempt to leave a game after a late goal…
A Year In History: 1971
This Year in History:
1971
Discover what happened in this year with HISTORY’s summaries of major events, anniversaries, famous births and notable deaths.
January 6
January 6
Army drops charges of My Lai cover‑up
The Army drops charges of an alleged cover‑up in the My Lai massacre against four officers. After the charges were dropped, a total of 11 people had been cleared of…
January 20
January 20
Marvin Gaye’s hit single “What’s Going On?” released
January 20, 1971, sees the release of Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Going On?” In addition to being a massive hit, the song marked a turning point in Gaye’s career and in…
January 25
January 25
Charles Manson and his followers convicted of murder
In Los Angeles, California, cult leader Charles Manson is convicted, along with followers Susan Atkins, Leslie Van Houten, and Patricia Krenwinkle, of the brutal 1969 murders of actress Sharon Tate…
January 31
January 31
Apollo 14 departs for the moon
Apollo 14, piloted by astronauts Alan B. Shepard Jr., Edgar D. Mitchell and Stuart A. Roosa, is successfully launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida, on a manned mission to the moon.…
February 2
February 2
Idi Amin takes power in Uganda
One week after toppling the regime of Ugandan leader Milton Obote, Major General Idi Amin declares himself president of Uganda and chief of the armed forces. Amin, head of the…
February 9
February 9
Satchel Paige nominated to Baseball Hall of Fame
On February 9, 1971, pitcher Leroy “Satchel” Paige becomes the first Negro League veteran to be nominated for the Baseball Hall of Fame. In August of that year, Paige, a…
February 10
February 10
Journalists killed in helicopter crash
Four journalists, including photographer Larry Burrows of Life magazine, Kent Potter of United Press International, Nenri Huett of the Associated Press and Keisaburo Shimamoto of Newsweek, die in a South…
March 1
March 1
Bomb explodes in Capitol building
A bomb explodes in the Capitol building in Washington, D.C., causing an estimated $300,000 in damage but hurting no one. A group calling itself the Weather Underground claimed credit for…
March 8
March 8
Ali battles Frazier in “Fight of the Century” for heavyweight championship
On March 8, 1971, Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier meet for the “Fight of the Century” at Madison Square Garden in New York City. The bout marked Ali’s return to…
March 29
March 29
Lt. William Calley found guilty of My Lai murders
Lt. William L. Calley is found guilty of premeditated murder at My Lai by a U.S. Army court‑martial at Fort Benning, Georgia. Calley, a platoon leader, had led his men…
April 10
April 10
U.S. table tennis team visits communist China
The U.S. table tennis team begins a weeklong visit to the People’s Republic of China (PRC) at the invitation of China’s communist government. The well‑publicized trip was part of the…
April 19
April 19
Vietnam Veterans Against the War demonstrate
As a prelude to a massive antiwar protest, Vietnam Veterans Against the War begin a five‑day demonstration in Washington, D.C. The generally peaceful protest, called Dewey Canyon III in honor…
April 20
April 20
“Fragging” on the rise among U.S. military units
The Pentagon releases figures confirming that fragging incidents are on the rise. In 1970, 209 such incidents caused the deaths of 34 men; in 1969, 96 such incidents cost 34…
April 20
April 20
Supreme Court declares desegregation busing constitutional
On April 20, 1971, the U.S. Supreme Court unanimously declares busing for the purposes of desegregation to be constitutional. The decision in Swann v. Charlotte‑Mecklenburg Board of Education settled the constitutional…
May 9
May 9
Last episode of “The Honeymooners” airs
On May 9, 1971, the last original episode of the sitcom The Honeymooners, starring Jackie Gleason as Brooklyn bus driver Ralph Kramden, airs. Although a perennial rerun favorite in syndication,…
May 27
May 27
Sweden announces support to Viet Cong
In Sweden, Foreign Minister Torsten Nilsson reveals that Sweden has been providing assistance to the Viet Cong, including some $550,000 worth of medical supplies. Similar Swedish aid was to go…
May 30
May 30
Mariner 9 departs for Mars
The U.S. unmanned space probe Mariner 9 is launched on a mission to gather scientific information on Mars, the fourth planet from the sun. The 1,116‑pound spacecraft entered the planet’s…
June 6
June 6
“The Ed Sullivan Show” airs for the very last time
Sunday nights, 8:00 pm, CBS. Ask almost any American born in the 1950s or earlier what television program ran in that timeslot on that network, and they’ll probably know the…
June 13
June 13
The New York Times publishes the “Pentagon Papers”
The New York Times begins publishing portions of the 47‑volume Pentagon analysis of how the U.S. commitment in Southeast Asia grew over a period of three decades. Daniel Ellsberg, a…
