Important Events in 1970
- Jan 13 Colonel Odumegwu Ojukwu flees Biafra into exile, leaving his deputy Philip Effiong to surrender to the Nigerian army, unofficially ending the Nigerian Civil War
- Mar 2 White government of Rhodesia declares itself a republic
- May 31 7.75 Ancash earthquake off coast of Peru kills 66-70,000 and sets off world's deadliest avalanche
- Jul 6 California passes 1st "no fault" divorce law
- Jul 21 Aswan High Dam opens in Egypt, enables human control of the flooding of the Nile
- Sep 8 Black September hijackings begin, three airliners hijacked and blown up by Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine
- Nov 3 US President Richard Nixon promises gradual troop removal of Vietnam
- Nov 12 Cyclone Bhola makes landfall in East Pakistan (Bangladesh) killing up to 500,000, making it the deadliest tropical cyclone ever recorded
- Nov 17 Douglas Engelbart receives the patent for the first computer mouse
- Nov 21 General Hafez al-Assad becomes Prime Minister of Syria following military coup
More Historical Events
1970 in Film & TV
- Jan 27 Movie rating system modifies "M" rating to "PG"
- Feb 4 "Patton" directed by Franklin J. Schaffner and starring George C. Scott premieres in New York (Academy Awards Best Picture 1971)
- Jul 4 Casey Kasem's "American Top 40" debuts on LA radio
- Sep 19 "The Mary Tyler Moore" show premieres on CBS
1970 in Music
- Mar 30 Miles Davis's influential double album "Bitches Brew" released
- Apr 10 Paul McCartney officially announces the split of The Beatles
- Apr 17 Paul McCartney's 1st solo album "McCartney" is released
1970 in Sport
- May 10 Stanley Cup Final, Boston Garden, Boston, MA: Bobby Orr scores famous OT winner as Boston beats St. Louis Blues, 4-3 for 4-0 series sweep; Bruins its first title since 1941
- Jun 21 FIFA World Cup Final, Estadio Azteca, Mexico City: Brazil and Pelé become first team and player to win World Cup 3 times, beating Italy, 4-1 in front of 107,412
Famous People in 1970
Bobby Orr
Sportsperson
of the YearGeorge C. Scott
Oscar for Best ActorGlenda Jackson
Oscar for Best ActressJohnny Cash
Country SingerWilly Brandt
Time Person
of the Year
World Leaders in 1970
Leonid Brezhnev
Soviet General SecretaryMao Zedong
Chinese Revolutionary and Chairman of the Communist PartyRichard Nixon
37th US President
Would You Believe?
In Basse-Terre, Guadeloupe, 1.5 inches (38.1mm) of rain fall in a minute, the heaviest rainfall ever on record
On November 26, 1970
Famous Weddings in 1970
- Mar 12 Actor Phil Hartman (21) weds first wife Gretchen Lewis
- Mar 20 Singer David Bowie (23) weds model Angie Bowie (20) at Bromley Register Office in Beckenham Lane, London
- May 11 Sammy Davis Jr.weds Altovise
Famous Divorces in 1970
- Nov 8 "Easy Rider" director and actor Dennis Hopper (34) divorces singer Michelle Phillips (26) only 8 days after getting married
More Weddings & Divorces
1970 in Articles and Photos
Oh! Calcutta! - The Bare Facts
Born when free love and anything goes were the mantra of youth, the show "Oh! Calcutta!" opened in London on this day. Police considered a prosecution for obscenity.
July 26, 1970Black Tot Day
Royal Navy sailors lining up for their daily rum ration
July 31, 1970Jim Morrison's Trial
Jim Morrison and The Doors at the Dade County Courthouse
August 10, 1970Elvis Meets Nixon
Richad Nixon meets Elvis Presley at the White House, December 21, 1970
December 21, 1970