What Happened in 1971

Significant Events

  • Jan 25 Military coup in Uganda under Major General Idi Amin
  • Feb 2 Idi Amin ousts Milton Obote and appoints himself President (dictator) of Uganda
  • Feb 8 Nasdaq Composite stock market index debuts with 50 companies and a starting value of 100
  • Feb 14 Richard Nixon installs secret taping system in the White House
  • Mar 26 Bangladesh (East Pakistan) under Sheikh Mujibur Rahman declares its independence from Pakistan
  • Jul 9 Henry Kissinger visits the People's Republic of China to negotiate a detente between the US and China
  • Oct 25 United Nations votes to expel the Chinese Nationalist ruled Taiwan and admit the Communist People's Republic of China
  • Nov 21 Battle of Garibpur: Indian troops aided by Mukti Bahini (Bengali guerrillas) defeat the Pakistan army
More Historical Events

1971 in Film & TV

  • Oct 7 "The French Connection" directed by William Friedkin and starring Gene Hackman, Roy Scheider and Fernando Rey premieres in the US (Academy Awards Best Picture 1972)
  • Dec 19 Stanley Kubrick's X-rated film "A Clockwork Orange" based on the book by Anthony Burgess and starring Malcolm McDowell premieres

1971 in Music

1971 in Sport

  • Aug 26 Bobby Orr signs a five-year contract with the Boston Bruins worth one million dollars, the first million dollar contract in NHL history

Did You Know?

Crew of Russian space mission Soyuz 11 found dead upon arrival on earth (only people to die in space)

On June 30, 1971


World Leaders in 1971

Famous People in 1971

Famous People Born in 1971

More Famous Birthdays

Would You Believe?

"Stairway to Heaven" by Led Zeppelin first played live at Ulster Hall, Belfast by Robert Plant, Jimmy Page, John Bonham and John Paul Jones

On March 5, 1971

Famous Weddings

  • Jan 7 American horror, sci-fi and fantasy author Stephen King marries Tabitha Spruce, author and activist
  • Feb 5 Actress Judi Dench (36) weds actor Michael Williams (35) at St Mary's Catholic Church in Hampstead, London
  • Mar 4 Prime Minister of Canada Pierre Trudeau (51) weds author/actress Margaret Joan Sinclair (23) at a private ceremony in North Vancouver, Canada
  • May 12 Rolling Stone rocker Mick Jagger (27) weds actress and model Bianca Pérez-Mora Macias (31) at St Tropez Town Hall, France
  • May 28 NBA center Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (24) weds school teacher Janice Brown

Famous Divorces

  • Jan 11 1st "Quickie" Divorce granted in UK
  • Jun 18 Aviator Howard Hughes divorces 2nd wife Jean Peters after 14 years of marriage
More Weddings & Divorces

Famous Deaths

More Famous Deaths

Articles on Events in 1971