People & Animals · 1968
Faces of a Defining Year
The people who led, inspired, challenged, and changed the world in MCMLXVIII.
Every era is ultimately defined by its people — those who step forward in moments of crisis, creativity, or courage. In 1968, a remarkable cast of individuals shaped history: leaders and dissidents, artists and athletes, visionaries and ordinary citizens who found themselves at the center of extraordinary events.
Notable Figures
The People of 1968
1929 – 1968
Martin Luther King Jr.
Civil Rights Leader
The moral conscience of America, Dr. King was assassinated in Memphis on April 4th. His legacy — nonviolent resistance, the dream of equality — endures as one of the twentieth century's most powerful forces for justice.
1925 – 1968
Robert F. Kennedy
Senator & Presidential Candidate
Bobby Kennedy represented hope for millions — a bridge between the establishment and the counterculture. His assassination in June extinguished a candidacy that many believed could have ended the Vietnam War.
Mexico City, October 1968
Tommie Smith & John Carlos
Olympic Athletes
On the Olympic podium in Mexico City, Smith and Carlos raised black-gloved fists during the national anthem. The image became one of the most iconic acts of protest in sporting history.
First elected November 1968
Shirley Chisholm
Congresswoman
Shirley Chisholm became the first Black woman elected to the United States Congress, representing New York's 12th congressional district. Her election was a landmark in American political history.
Prague Spring, 1968
Alexander Dubček
Czechoslovak Leader
Dubček's vision of 'socialism with a human face' inspired millions before Soviet tanks crushed the Prague Spring. He became a symbol of peaceful resistance against authoritarian power.
Boston Marathon, 1967–1968
Kathrine Switzer
Marathon Runner
Having run the Boston Marathon as the first woman with a race number in 1967, Switzer continued to fight for women's right to compete in long-distance running — a battle that would reshape athletics.
"In 1968, ordinary people did extraordinary things — and extraordinary people paid the ultimate price."
— Time Magazine, Year in Review, 1968
The Natural World
Animals of 1968
The natural world made headlines too — from space-travelling animals to beloved creatures that captured public imagination.
Secretariat's Predecessors
Horse racing captivated America in 1968 as Forward Pass was declared Kentucky Derby winner after Dancer's Image was disqualified — one of the most controversial moments in racing history.
Endangered Species Awareness
1968 saw growing public awareness of endangered species, with the bald eagle, peregrine falcon, and grey wolf all facing critical population declines — helping lay the groundwork for the Endangered Species Act of 1973.
Laika's Legacy
A decade after Laika became the first animal in orbit, the space race of 1968 continued to honour her sacrifice — animals had opened the door to human spaceflight, including Apollo 8's historic lunar orbit.