At A Glance

17 May 1963 at a glance

Day of the week
17 May 1963 was a Friday.
UK Number One
The UK Number One single was “From Me to You” by The Beatles.
Top Film of 1963
The highest-grossing film worldwide released in 1963 was Cleopatra.
Star sign
The star sign for 17 May is Taurus.
Chinese zodiac
In the Chinese zodiac, 17 May 1963 fell in the Year of the Rabbit.
Birthstone
The birthstone for May is Emerald.
Moon phase
The moon phase on 17 May 1963 was Waning Crescent.

On this day: 17 May

  • 1954 The United States Supreme Court hands down a unanimous decision in Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas, outlawing racial segregation in public schools.
  • 1959 In Cuba, the First Agrarian Reform Law – a cornerstone of the Cuban Revolution – is signed by Fidel Castro, aiming to eliminate large foreign-owned estates and redistribute land to over 100,000 peasants.
  • 1967 Six-Day War: President Gamal Abdel Nasser of Egypt demands dismantling of the peace-keeping UN Emergency Force in Egypt.
  • 1969 Venera program: Soviet Venera 6 begins its descent into the atmosphere of Venus, sending back atmospheric data before being crushed by pressure.
  • 1973 Watergate scandal: Televised hearings begin in the United States Senate.

Famous people born on 17 May

  • Josh Homme, American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer (born 1973)
  • Bill Paxton, American actor and director (1955–2017)
  • Dennis Hopper, American actor and director (1936–2010)
  • Bob Saget, American comedian, actor, and television host (1956–2022)

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Choose your country: the charts, news and leaders change to match.

Events of 1963 in the United Kingdom

A selection from Wikipedia's '1963 in the United Kingdom'. Not a complete list.

  • 11 May – The Beatles album Please Please Me goes to the top of the UK Albums Chart.
  • 5 June – Profumo affair: John Profumo, Secretary of State for War, admits to misleading Parliament and resigns over his affair with Christine Keeler.
  • 8 August – The Great Train Robbery takes place in Buckinghamshire.

Life in 1963

Prime Minister

Harold Macmillan

Monarch

Elizabeth II

Pint of Beer

12p

Loaf of Bread

8p

Average House

£2,750

Weekly Wage

£16.30

Or

Browse by Year

Famous Faces Born in the 1960s

Well-known people born in the same decade as you, not on your birthday.

Sources: Wikidata and Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)

About The Day You Were Born

Ever wondered what was happening in the world when you took your first breath? Our birthday lookup tool reveals the fascinating history of your special day.

About The Birthday Chronicle and where our data comes from →