Presidential assassinations aside, 1963 was a fun year for going to the beach, having parties, and driving some of the coolest Chevys ever made.
Just one year after the the Cuban Missile Crisis, President John F. Kennedy was assassinated on November 22nd of 1963. It shocked the nation, and a period already mired by cold war paranoia took tension to new heights.
But existential doom aside, 1963 was a fun year for going to the beach, having parties, and driving some of the coolest Chevys ever made.
Here are 24 fascinating photos of what life looked like in 1963.
1
On Vacation
A woman in Florida, December of 1963.
2
“Durable Dad”
A dad turns 78 in 1963.
3
A Tired Family
Before an early start to a vacation, 1963.
4
Girls With Their Records
A sleepover in 1963.
5
Boy in a 1963 Ford Galaxie
A joyride in 1963.
6
Three Women at the Beach
Crimea in 1963.
7
Business Men, Lawyers
Baltimore, 1963.
8
A Girl Practices Drums
Band practice in 1963.
9
A Sears Department Store
The announcement of JFK’s assassination on November 22, 1963.
10
Chevrolet Corvette Ad
The split window, in 1963.
11
Martin Short
With his parents in Ontario, Canada, 1963.
12
Christmas Eve
1963 in New Bedford, Massachusetts.
13
Friends Have a Bake Sale
Austin Texas, 1963.
14
A Picnic
A pregnant woman and her husband, Prince Edward Island, 1963.
15
A Woman Reads the Newspaper
November 22, 1963.
16
High School Dance
Having fun in 1963.
17
A California College Party
Guys in 1963.
18
A Kindergarten Class
November of 1963.
19
“My Proud Grandpa in His Liquor Store"
“Complete with fake wooden panels.” 1963.
20
Vacationers
Tijuana, Mexico, 1963.
21
Times Square
New York City, 1963.
22
Friends at the Beach
Bulgaria, 1963.
23
Three Kids and a Wash Bucket
Lake Garda in Italy, 1963.
24
Opening Day of Little League Baseball
Barrington, NJ, 1963.
