1964 World’s Fair: 'Peace Through Understanding'
60 years ago on April 22, 1964, President Lyndon B. Johnson opened the New York World’s Fair in Flushing Meadows Corona Park in the borough of Queens.
The theme for the event that ran through October 22, 1965 was “Peace Through Understanding.”
We looked through the AP archives for photographs of the attractions that brought 51 million visitors to Queens. Several landmarks are still standing and are now iconic symbols of the borough.
OPENING DAY
Text from Associated Press article, published in The Wellesville Daily Reporter, Wednesday, April 22, 1964.
LBJ Offers Peace Theme
NEW YORK (AP) — President Johnson turned prophet today at the opening of the New York World's Fair and said that peace not only is possible but coming nearer, with all this means for the dreams and hopes of mankind.
The President said that the final direction of the nation's progress can be toward "abundance or annihilation — development or desolation" — and this is in the hands of the people of the world.
In an address prepared for delivery in Singer Bowl at the fair, Johnson said this vast festival represents the most promising of our hopes.
“It gathers together, from 80 countries, the achievements of industry, the wealth of nations, the creations of man. This fair shows us what man — at his most creative and constructive — is capable of,” Johnson said.
“But unless we can achieve the theme of this fair — ‘Peace Through Understanding' — unless we can use our skill and wisdom to conquer conflict as we have conquered science — then our hopes of today —those proud achievements — will go under the devastation of tomorrow.”
“I prophesy peace is not only possible. l predict it is coming nearer.”
These unusual landmarks are among a number of attractions still standing from the 1964 World’s Fair.
THE UNISPHERE
The fair’s best-known symbol that still attracts visitors to the park, is a 12-story steel globe, that has appeared in movies like “Men in Black” and “Iron Man 2.”
NEW YORK STATE PAVILION
The 100-foot-high (30-meter-high) concrete pillars support structures that look like flying saucers. This was the New York State Pavilion, where visitors rode elevators to an observation deck above an enormous suspended roof of translucent colored tiles.
Text Excerpts
The Associated Press article, "LBJ Offers Peace Theme”, printed in The Wellesville Daily Reporter, Wednesday, April 22, 1964.
Text and photo curation by Kathleen Elliott
AP Photo archive on Instagram