National Governors Association Centennial

1960-1969
1960		1960 Meeting: Glacier National Park, MT (June 26-29) Chair: J. Caleb Boggs, DE Governors discuss concerns about Soviet superiority in the arms race and in education, and talk about pending legislation to provide medical care for the elderly. William Randolph Hearst Jr., representing the President's Committee for Traffic Safety, recommends state pooling of funds to underwrite the cost of research into developing new methods of traffic accident prevention, with funding being prorated based on the number of vehicles registered per participating state. Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird is published. The Winter Olympics are held in Squaw Valley, California. Wilma Rudolph, having overcome the effects of polio, wins two gold medals in track and field at the Summer Olympics. The U.S. auto industry begins a shift to the production of compact cars in reaction to the rise of foreign imports. The Food and Drug Administration gives approval to the first birth control pill. The American Football League is founded as a rival of the National Football League. The first televised Presidential debate is held between Democratic nominee John F. Kennedy and Republican nominee Richard M. Nixon. In Greensboro, North Carolina, a sit-in is staged at a lunch counter in protest of refusal to serve African-Americans. Congress passes the first general aid-to-education bill in U.S. history. Congress passes the Kerr-Mills Act, creating a program of funding to states to provide coverage to medically-needed aged-those with incomes too high to qualify for public assistance but in need of help paying medical expenses. At their annual meeting, Governors agree to establish a Committee on Juvenile Delinquency to help marshal efforts to combat the problem of juvenile delinquency.
1961		1961 Meeting: Honolulu, HI (June 25-28) Chair: Stephen McNichols, CO Governors adopt a resolution urging Congress to enact a program to provide for federal grants-in-aid to the states and territories to assist in the construction of adequate classroom facilities, loans for the construction and improvement of facilities for higher education, and funds to states and territories to expand adult education programs conducted through colleges and universities. Federal officials address governors in support of federal educational assistance to the states to aid in construction of elementary and secondary schools and the advancement of higher education to accommodate the baby boom. A National Conference on Aging is held, to be followed by conferences in every state. Governors discuss the need for more research on-and better treatment of-mental illness. Castro forces repel the invasion of U.S.-trained Cuban exiles at the Bay of Pigs. The Soviet Union closes the border between West and East Berlin and the Berlin Wall is constructed. The first human (a Soviet Cosmonaut) orbits the earth. A new term, "Catch 22," is coined via the title of Joseph Heller's satirical novel by the same name. Formation of the band The Beach Boys launches a new California sound in rock-and-roll. President John F. Kennedy establishes the Peace Corps by executive order. Freedom Riders begin bus trips in the South, seeking to end segregation in interstate transportation. The 23rd Amendment to the U.S. Constitution (granting suffrage to residents of the District of Columbia in Presidential elections) is adopted. The Delaware River Basin Compact is formed when he federal government and the states of Delaware, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania agree to a plan for the development and use of water resources of the Delaware River Basin. Former Minnesota Governor Orville Freeman becomes Secretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Former Connecticut Governor Abraham Ribicoff becomes Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare. Former North Carolina Luther Hodges becomes Secretary of the U.S. Department of Commerce.
1962		1962 Meeting: Hershey, PA (July 1-4) Chair: Wesley Powell, NH Provision is made for any article of procedure to be suspended by a three-fourths vote. Heated debate takes place over civil rights laws, with southern members arguing the right of individual states to autonomy. A resolution is defeated to endorse a program of medical care for the aged. Governors adopt a resolution urging a constitutional amendment acknowledging our nation's faith in God and permitting the free and voluntary participation in prayer in public schools. Crisis develops when the U.S. imposes a naval blockade in protest of the construction of a Soviet missile installation in Cuba. President John F. Kennedy meets with members of NGA's Civil Defense Committee to discuss the nation's safety. John Glenn becomes the first American to orbit the earth. Edward Albee's play Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf opens on Broadway. Actress Marilyn Monroe dies. Rachel Carson's Silent Spring is published, drawing attention to the harmful effects of pesticides. At Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), the idea of a global network of computers is conceived for use in academia and the military, which expands to public usage more than three decades later as the "Internet." The Space Needle is the centerpiece of the Seattle World's Fair. Sam Walton founds Wal-Mart. Cesar Chavez founds the National Farm Workers Association, which becomes the United Farm Workers of America. In Baker v. Carr, the U.S. Supreme Court rules that the issue of reapportionment is justiciable, enabling courts to intervene in cases of legislative reapportionment. President John F. Kennedy signs legislation providing $900 million for public works projects in economically-depressed areas. The Aid to Dependent Children (ADC) program becomes the Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) program. Mississippi Governor Ross Barnett, in defiance of federal court order, refuses to allow James Meredith admission to the University of Mississippi and is found guilty of contempt. The Midwestern Governors Association is founded.
1963		1963 Meeting: Miami Beach, FL (July 21-24) Chair: Albert Rosellini, WA In response to civil rights debate, the Resolutions Committee is abolished and procedures are revised to require suspension of rules (via vote of three-fourths' membership) for adoption of resolutions. Vice President Lyndon Johnson tells governors that civil rights is a top priority for the Kennedy administration. Betty Friedan's The Feminine Mystique is published, considered to be a catalyst of the feminist movement. Bob Dylan's Blowin' in the Wind is released. The push-button telephone is unveiled. Jim Whittaker becomes the first American to climb Mt. Everest. In Gideon v. Wainwright, the U.S. Supreme Court overturns a Florida felony conviction, declaring the right of a defendant to counsel. President John F. Kennedy is assassinated. The University of Alabama is desegregated when Governor George Wallace steps aside after being confronted by federally deployed National Guard troops. Martin Luther King Jr. gives his "I Have a Dream" speech at the civil rights March on Washington. A bomb explodes in the largest black church in Birmingham, Alabama, killing four small children. The Equal Pay Act passes Congress. The Republican Governors Association is founded.
1964		1964 Meeting: Cleveland, OH (June 6-10) Chair: John Anderson, KS Rules of Procedure are adopted separate from Articles of Organization. Executive Committee is empowered to create standing and special committees. Governors hold workshops on various aspects of civil rights. A special gubernatorial committee reports on recommendations for Cold War education. A recent earthquake in Alaska prompts discussion about extending civil defense to natural disasters. The association's Public Health and Welfare Committee expresses support for medical assistance to the elderly in the form of another category of welfare. The Committee also expresses support for the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964 with the condition that states maintain control over poverty programs. And, the Committee reviews legislation pending in Congress to involve the federal government in child support enforcement. Congress approves a food stamp program for low-income households. Nelson Mandela, along with other members of the African National Congress, is sentenced to life in prison in South Africa. "British invasion" of the U.S. by rock-and-roll singers from England begins. Compact audio cassettes are introduced, becoming an alternative to turntables for LP records. The 24th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution (prohibiting the use of poll tax in the election of federal officials) is adopted. In Reynolds v. Sims, the Supreme Court rules that both houses of a state legislature must be apportioned on the basis of population. The Surgeon General declares cigarette smoking to be a health hazard. The Warren Commission, headed by U.S. Supreme Court Justice and former California Governor Earl Warren issues a report on its investigation of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. The Civil Rights Act is signed into law. Civil rights workers James Chaney, Andrew Goodman, and Michael Schwerner are murdered in rural Mississippi. President Lyndon B. Johnson declares War on Poverty and Congress approves legislation providing for VISTA and the Job Corps.
1965		1965 Meeting: Minneapolis, MN (July 25-29) Chair: Grant Sawyer, NV Organization's name is changed to "National Governors' Conference." A video message from President Johnson is aired at the Annual Meeting, asking for the governors' support of his goals in Vietnam, and the President sends a plane to the meeting to bring governors to the White House to discuss the War. Governors adopt a resolution instructing the organization's Natural Resources Committee to study the problem of water pollution. Congress creates Medicaid, a federal and state-funded health-care system for the destitute elderly, disabled persons, and AFDC families. The first U.S. combat troops arrive in Vietnam. Ralph Nader achieves fame with the publication of his book Unsafe at Any Speed, which exposes automobile structural flaws. Black Muslim leader Malcolm X is assassinated. Construction of the Gateway Arch in St. Louis, designed to commemorate westward expansion of the United States during the 19th Century, is completed. Hurricane Betsy strikes Florida and New Orleans. The Immigration and Nationality Act eliminates immigration quotas based on race and national origin and establishes family reunification as a dominant basis for admission to permanent residency. The Voting Rights Act is passed. A civil rights march takes place from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama. Racial unrest explodes in the Watts neighborhood of Los Angeles. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development is established. Congress passes the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, targeting disadvantaged K-12 students. Title V of the Act provided federal dollars to strengthen state education agencies. Project Head Start begins as an 8-week summer program to help meet emotional, social, health, nutritional, and psychological needs of preschool-aged children of low-income families. Massachusetts becomes a pioneer in civil rights policy as the first state to enact "Racial Imbalance" legislation requiring local school districts to submit desegregation plans. New York Governor Nelson Rockefeller launches the Pure Waters Program, providing $1 billion in funds to localities that agreed to stop dumping sewage in the state's waterways.
1966		1966 Winter Meeting: Washington, DC (December 15-17) 1966 Annual Meeting: Los Angeles, CA (July 4-7) Chair: John Reed, ME First "interim meeting" is held, leading to the holding of Winter Meetings. Decision is made to establish an Office of Federal-State Relations. In the aftermath of the Supreme Court's Miranda decision, law enforcement experts brief Governors on the effects on states of judicial interpretations of constitutional rights. Governors adopt a resolution reaffirming support for the President's Vietnam policies. Oregon Governor Mark Hatfield fails in his effort to amend the resolution to affirm support of servicemen in Vietnam rather than of the war itself. Governors resolved to hold a conference on juvenile delinquency and urged states to establish commissions on crime and delinquency. Kentucky becomes first southern state to enact comprehensive civil rights legislation. In Miranda v. Arizona, the Supreme court rules that individuals in police custody must be informed of their rights. The National Organization for Women (NOW) is founded. The Medicare program begins. The U.S. Department of Transportation is created as a cabinet-level department.
1967		1967 Annual Meeting: S.S. Independence and Virgin Islands (October 16-24) Chair: William Guy, ND Governors hold their Annual Meeting in part aboard the SS Independence en route to the Virgin Islands. The association's State and Local Revenue Committee recommends endorsing the principles of tax sharing and consolidating more than 200 existing demonstration and innovational federal grants into a single demonstration grant authority under each applicable federal department or agency. Also recommended was that the U.S. Bureau of the Budget develop guidelines for grant-in-aid formulas and matching ratios, and that a detailed study be made of existing federal grant programs to eliminate outmoded or unduly restrictive requirements. Governor Otto Kerner of Illinois speaks about the use of the National Guard to quell civil unrest. Governors adopt a resolution affirming law enforcement to be the responsibility of state and local governments and urging Governors to examine state law, police, and National Guard to ensure their ability to address civil disorder. The world's first successful heart transplant is achieved by Dr. Christiaan Barnard in South Africa. Three Apollo 1 astronauts die when fire sweeps their command module during ground testing at the Kennedy Space Center. The Monterey Pop Festival features 'psychedelic' music, and San Francisco's Haight-Ashbury neighborhood is transformed during the "Summer of Love," exposing a new 'hippie' subculture. Mike Nichols' film The Graduate is released. The boxing license of heavyweight champion Muhammed Ali is suspended after the boxer resists military induction during the Vietnam War. Tennis player Billie Jean King is named Outstanding Female Athlete of the World. The Supreme Court rules in Loving v. Virginia that laws prohibiting interracial marriage are unconstitutional, resulting in the revision of laws in 16 states. The Supreme Court rules in National Bellas-Hess, Inc. v. Illinois Department of Revenue that states cannot levy sales tax on mail-order products purchased from out-of-state companies. The 25th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution (providing for succession of the Vice President to the presidency upon the removal from office or death of the President) is adopted. The federal government pushes back the targeted completion date of the interstate highway system to 1973, with construction costs rising. NGA responds by adopting a resolution urging Congress to provide additional revenue to meet the nation's future highway needs. Racial unrest spreads across the United States, heavily impacting Detroit and Newark. Illinois Governor Otto Kerner is named head of the presidentially-appointed National Advisory Commission on Civil Disorders, established to investigate 1967 racial unrest and disorder.
1968		1968 Winter Meeting: Washington, DC (February 28- March 1) The association holds its first official Winter Meeting and its first seminar for governors-elect. 1968 Annual Meeting: Cincinnati, OH (July 21-24) Chair: John Volpe, MA At their Annual Meeting, Governors discuss poverty and other problems plaguing urban America. Astronaut Neil Armstrong talks about the upcoming launch of the first Apollo space mission, noting that every state has contributed resources to the space program. Governors adopt resolutions urging a federal shift from categorical to block grants and supporting the concept of revenue sharing. Congress passes the Juvenile Delinquency Prevention and Control Act, designed to promote state development of plans and programs to discourage juvenile delinquency. Warsaw Pact troops invade Czechoslovakia. The international Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty is opened for signature. The film 2001: A Space Odyssey is released. Mr. Rogers Neighborhood is first broadcast. Figure skater Peggy Fleming wins a gold medal at the Winter Olympics in Grenoble, France, the only gold won by an American that year. Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and presidential candidate Senator Robert Kennedy are assassinated. Anti-war and civil rights demonstrators clash with police outside the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. The Civil Rights Act of 1968 outlaws discrimination in housing sales or rentals. Legislation is enacted banning the mail order sale of guns. The discovery of oil in Prudhoe Bay, Alaska is announced. As the interstate highway system's target completion date is pushed back for a second time to 1974, NGA establishes a Committee on Transportation, chaired by Governor Ronald Reagan of California, which urges that the interstate highway system be completed as scheduled without increasing federal gasoline taxes.
1969		1969 Winter Meeting: Washington, DC (February 26-27) At the Winter Meeting, Vice President Agnew announces the establishment of an Office of Intergovernmental Relations to serve as an ombudsman for both Governors and Mayors dealing with federal agencies, and as a mediator of disputes between state and local governments. 1969 Annual Meeting: Colorado Springs, CO (Aug. 31-Sept. 3) Chair: Buford Ellington, TN At the Annual Meeting, President Richard Nixon addresses governors about his new administration's plans for revenue sharing, federal takeover of welfare financing, and the adoption of a universal health insurance program accompanied by hospital cost controls. NGA adopts a resolution advocating establishment of both a National Airport/Airways Trust Fund and a National Urban Mass Transit Trust Fund. Governors also express support for a shift from a federal-state program of assistance to the aged, blind, disabled, and dependent children, to a federally-financed, state-administered program. Talks begin on a Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty (SALT) between the U.S. and the Soviet Union to reduce stockpiles of nuclear weapons. U.S. astronaut Neil Armstrong walks on the moon. The first flight of the Concorde Supersonic Transport (SST) takes place. Hurricane Camille strikes the U.S. mainland with winds as high as 200 mph. Kurt Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse Five is published. The children's television show Sesame Street premiers, featuring Jim Henson's creations the "Muppets"-a marionette/puppet cross. The Woodstock Music Festival is held on farmland in Bethel, New York. The largest demonstration against the Vietnam War takes place in Washington, DC. In Shapiro v. Thompson, the U.S. Supreme Court rules that state residency requirements for welfare eligibility violate a fundamental right (to travel) under the Constitution. In Alexander v. Holmes, the U.S. Supreme Court mandates immediate school integration in fourteen states, on the ground that integration with 'deliberate speed' as mandated by Brown v. Board of Education had been inadequately enforced, enabling the maintenance of dual school systems for whites and African-Americans. President Richard Nixon proposes Family Assistance Plan to replace Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) with a national minimum welfare benefit coupled with a work requirement. Maryland Governor Spiro Agnew becomes Vice President. Massachusetts Governor John Volpe becomes Secretary of the U.S. Department of Transportation. Michigan Governor George Romney becomes Secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.