November 24
November 24
Jack Ruby kills Lee Harvey Oswald
At 12:20 p.m. EST, in the basement of the Dallas police station, Lee Harvey Oswald, the alleged assassin of President John F. Kennedy, is shot to death by Jack Ruby,…
A Year In History: 1963
This Year in History:
1963
Discover what happened in this year with HISTORY’s summaries of major events, anniversaries, famous births and notable deaths.
November 25
November 25
JFK buried at Arlington National Cemetery
Three days after his assassination in Dallas, Texas, John F. Kennedy is laid to rest with full military honors at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia. Kennedy, the 35th president of…
November 29
November 29
LBJ forms commission to investigate Kennedy assassination
On November 29, 1963, President Lyndon B. Johnson appoints a special commission to investigate the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, which had occurred a week earlier, on November 22,…
December 11
December 11
Frank Sinatra Jr. released by kidnappers
On December 11, kidnappers release Frank Sinatra, Jr., after abducting him in Lake Tahoe, California, three days earlier. The 19‑year‑old man, who was trying to follow in his father’s footsteps…
December 12
December 12
Kenya declares independence from Britain
On December 12, 1963, Kenya declares its independence from Britain. The East African nation is freed from its colonial oppressors, but its struggle for democracy is far from over. A…
December 12
December 12
JFK memorial album sets record for sales
On December 12, 1963, a vinyl long‑playing record (“LP”) called John Fitzgerald Kennedy: A Memorial Album sets a record for album sales. A total of 4 million copies sold in…
December 17
December 17
Clean Air Act becomes law
On December 17, 1963, one of the first major pieces of environmental legislation in the United States becomes law. The Clean Air Act empowers federal and state agencies to research…
December 20
December 20
Berlin Wall opened for first time
More than two years after the Berlin Wall was constructed by East Germany to prevent its citizens from fleeing its communist regime, nearly 4,000 West Berliners are allowed to cross…
