Under the direction of the Soviet Union, East Berlin is separated from West Berlin by a concrete wall, imprisoning its citizens. This stark symbol of oppression lasts for 30 years. On May 5, Alan Shepard becomes the first American to fly into space aboard the Freedom 7. Buses, taxis and schoolroom classes across the country come to a complete halt so that people can listen. President Kennedy challenges his country to land a man on the moon before the end of the decade.
Baseball is America's pastime.
The nation watches with excitement as Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris compete in an effort to break Babe Ruth's home run record. Roger Maris does it, with 61 home runs. John Glenn orbits the Earth three times in the Friendship 7. The first seven astronauts are scheduled to fly in the Mercury series of space flights. After that, the Gemini series.