Spring Summer 2026 Activity Guide

DECADE OF DISCO - THE 1970S | 50+ YRS Richard Bloom

By the end of 1969 Americans had suffered through one of the most divisive decades of the century. They hoped the 1970s would offer something better but had no idea what was to come, both in pleasure and pain. But all in all, they were able to heave a sigh of relief as they draped themselves in leisure suits and hot pants and headed for the nearest disco. PART 1

PART 2 6/15 - 1975: Ella Grasso becomes governor of Connecticut, the first woman U.S. governor who did not succeed her husband; Bill Gates founds Microsoft and Jaws debuts as the first summer blockbuster in film history. 6/22 - 1976: The nation celebrates its 200th birthday; Apple Computer is founded and Jimmy Carter becomes president. 6/29 - 1977: On January 21, snow falls in Miami, Fl for the only time in its history; on January 23 Roots begins its phenomenally successful run on ABC and Rocky wins Best Picture at the Oscars 7/6 - 1978: The Great Blizzard of 1978 strikes the Ohio Valley and the Great Lakes, causing 51 deaths in Ohio between January 25-27; on November 18, more than 909 Americans commit mass murder/suicide in Jonestown, Guyana. 7/13 - 1979: On January 4, the State of Ohio agrees to pay $675,000 to families of those who were dead or injured from the Kent State shootings; McDonald’s introduces the Happy Meal and on November 4, the Iranian hostage crisis begins. 7/20: The journey ends with a look back, other decade tidbits and a chance to see what you remember. 552514 A 10-11 am M 6/15-7/20 BCCC, Level 2, Program Room A $30 R-BCCC M | $36 NR O 6 sessions

4/20: Our year-by-year journey begins (in period attire, of course) with an overview of 10 years of more change than chaos, a decade unmistakable in its outward appearance yet a critical departure from years past as domestic matters transcend our foreign affairs. 4/27 - 1970: Two years into his first term, President Richard Nixon holds firm to the people’s confidence as he assures them he would do everything in his power to bring the troops back from ‘Nam. Monday Night Football debuts on ABC and four students are shot and killed by Ohio National Guardsmen at Kent State University 5/4 - 1971: American TV audiences meet one Archie Bunker, the quintessential bigot, on Jan, 12 and are captivated by “All in The Family,” a sitcom like no other. The 26th Amendment lowers the voting age to 18 from 21 and the Baltimore Colts win Super Bowl V. 5/11 - 1972: A curious security guard upends America one June morning at an unfamiliar office building in Washington called Watergate; The Godfather premieres in New York City and Major League Baseball’s first strike in its 103-year history begins on April 1. 5/18 - 1973: U.S. involvement in Vietnam ends after years of agony and the draft is abolished; UCLA captures its seventh consecutive college basketball national championship and eighth in 10 seasons under Coach John Wooden. 6/1 - 1974: The Watergate scandal sends President Nixon packing prematurely as Gerald Ford ascends to the throne; Happy Days debuts and makes Henry Winkler an overnight sensation. 552513 A 10-11 am M 4/20-6/1 (skip 5/25) BCCC, Level 2, Program Room A $30 R-BCCC M | $36 NR O 6 sessions

OLDER ADULT

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