1966
Cultural Revolution launched
Mao, worried about losing his grip on the party, unleashed millions of student Red Guards against teachers, officials, intellectuals, and his own rivals. Temples were smashed, families denounced, books burned. Perhaps a million and a half died. A generation lost its education. China would not recover until after Mao was safely dead.
Black Panthers founded
In Oakland, California, Huey Newton and Bobby Seale founded the Black Panther Party for Self-Defense, a group that patrolled police with legally carried guns and organized free breakfasts for Black children. The FBI under Hoover declared them a threat and went after them. Within a few years, most of the founders were dead, imprisoned, or in exile.
Aberfan disaster
A coal-waste tip collapsed onto a Welsh village school in the morning, killing one hundred forty-four people, one hundred sixteen of them children. The slag heap had been piled there for decades despite warnings. The National Coal Board was found responsible. British industrial society had to face what it did to its working communities.
Miranda rights
The US Supreme Court ruled in Miranda v. Arizona that criminal suspects must be told of their right to remain silent and to have an attorney before being questioned. Police grumbled; television cop shows embraced the new ritual. The words you have the right to remain silent entered the American vocabulary and prime time.
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Frequently asked
What happened in the year 1966?
Saeculum lists 4 curated events from 1966. The most significant is Cultural Revolution launched: Mao, worried about losing his grip on the party, unleashed millions of student Red Guards against teachers, officials, intellectuals, and his own rivals.
What era was 1966 part of?
1966 falls within the Modern Era (1901-2000). World wars, cold war, and the splitting of the atom.
Which regions saw notable events in 1966?
The curated events from 1966 span East Asia, North America and Europe.