Denver Rewind: April 13, 1968

Inspired by History Colorado's The 1968 Exhibit (closing May 10!), today's blog post travels back 47 years.

Utilizing the Western History/Genealogy department's microfilm collection (Central Library, Level 5), I brought up the Rocky Mountain News for April 13, 1968.

Sure, DPL subscribes to several wonderful newspaper databases, but these databases don't always cover every publication and every issue. Besides, scrolling through an old-time Denver newspaper on microfilm can be a rich experience, providing much more context than a keyword search in a database.

Here are some of the stories from the Rocky Mountain News, April 13, 1968:

Front page, top headline: Search Is Intensified for Slayer of Dr. King

Following the April 4 assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in Memphis, FBI agents in Atlanta were on the hunt for his suspected killer, known only as Eric Starvo Galt. A white Mustang registered to Galt—similar to the one that sped away from the King assassination—was found parked in an Atlanta apartment complex.

Meanwhile, in Denver, it was announced that beginning in the fall, curriculum in Denver Public Schools would include the contribution of minority groups to American history.

It was also reported that Denver's mayor, Thomas Currigan, testified in a lawsuit filed by Chicano leader Rodolfo "Corky" Gonzales' lawyers. The suit sought to oust Currigan on grounds that he violated a 1913 City Charter provision requiring that mayoral campaign expenses not exceed $1000. In the end, however, Currigan won the case.

In addition to the headlines, the day's advertisements clued us in to what was going on in popular culture. The big films? Bonnie and Clyde and Planet of the Apes. Women's fashion? It seemed the shirtdress was hot. Automobile technology? Factory-installed air conditioning was cool.

Want to rewind to the 1960s some more? Drop in to DPL's Western History/Genealogy department to view more newspapers on microfilm.