Historical News Rock 1962 Year-IN-Review: National News Super Powers Swap Spies NASA Astronaut John Glenn, First American to Orbit Earth By Gabino Valero-Nolasco On February 20, 1962, John Glenn became the first American man to orbit the earth when he circled the planet three times while on board Friendship 7 as part of Project Mercury. Project Mercury was the first human spaceflight Program for the Francis Gary Power on the left and Rudolf Abel on the right US, beginning in 1958. The goals of Project Mercury was to have a man orbit the earth and return him safely home. By Abdirauf Sallah spy plane and was shot down The project was an early highlight of the space race between the while flying a reconnaissance Soviet Union and the United States. The race began when the On February 10, 1962, Francis mission over the Soviet Union Soviets launched a satellite named Sputnik 1 in 1957. Gary Powers was released by the airspace causing the Cold War in Soviets in trade for Soviet Colonel 1960. The American public was in shock and this led to the creation of Rudolf Abel, an Advanced KGB spy who was caught in the United After his release, Powers said, “I the National Aeronautical and Space Administration. Project Mercury was approved on October 7, 1958 and President States five years earlier. was a pilot flying an airplane and it just so happened that, Eisenhower announced it publicly on December 17. The two spies were brought to where I was flying, made what I The Mercury spacecraft was 10.8 feet long and 6.0 feet wide. separate sides of the Bridge in was doing spying.” Inside the spacecraft were 120 controls, and 55 electrical fuses. Berlin, Germany which connects East and West Berlin across Lake “Standing there like that you The Mercury spacecraft was modified three times by NASA. They Wannsee. reminded me of the man that modified it by putting a heat shield in the blunt end to protect it used to come to our house when from the 3000 degrees of heat. Rudolf was arrested by the FBI I was young. My father used to Agency in 1957 on charge of say: "watch this man'. So I did. conspiracy. While in the other Every time he came. And never once did he do anything hand, Powers was piloting the U-2 remarkable,” said Abel. First Black Student Registers at University of Mississippi Escorted by Federal Marshals By: Lissette Lagunas In 1961, he decided to apply to an “all white” university, University James Meredith became the first of Mississippi. He was accepted black student to attend the but when the registrar found out University of Mississippi in he was not white, he was then 1962. He is involved in the Civil withdrawn. The Brown v. Board Rights Movement of Education ruling of 1954 allowed him file a lawsuit against Meredith was born in the University for Discrimination. Mississippi, in 1933. He was He knew he had the right to raised on the farm with nine attend that University. siblings. The State Courts were not in his His first experience towards favor so the case made its way to racism would be on the train U.S. Supreme Court who ruled in going to Memphis, Tennessee. his favor. Meredith register for Meredith was ordered to give up classes on September 20, 1962. James Meredith leaves the University of Mississippi’s registrar’s his seat and move to the back of the train. People at the back of On that day a riot was building office escorted by Federal Marshalls. the train would stand for the rest up and the Attorney General of their trip. Robert Kennedy went 500 U.S. “Nobody handpicked me...I believed, and Marshalls to protect Meredith. At that moment, he knew that he believe now, that I have a Divine would dedicate his life to ensure President John F. Kennedy also Responsibility...I am familiar with the probable equal treatment towards the sent military police, troops from African Americans. the Mississippi National Guard difficulties involved in such a move as I am and officials from the U.S. undertaking and I am fully prepared to pursue He continue on with his Border Patrol to keep the education in “all black” schools. situation in peace. James it all the way to a degree from the University of He graduated high school and Meredith officially came to be Mississippi.”---James Meredith went to the United States Air part of the University as a first Force for nine years. black student. Historical News Rock 1962 Year-IN-Review: National News Three Men Escape Supreme Court from Alcatraz! Rules Public Assumed Dead School Prayers Unconstitutional Frank Morris (left), John Anglin (center) and Clarence Anglin (right) Francisco Bay. The island is By Spencer Smith surrounded by cold water, sharp Guards panic as prisoners rocks and hard waves. Frank Morris, Clarence and John Anglin disappeared from Their escape was noted as their cells at Alcatraz Island on guards found molded heads in June 11. No one else to this the beds of the prisoners. Also found were two holes in the date has escaped Alcatraz. By Katie Kelbrants Verbal arguments on this walls of each of their cells used issue began just last May. to crawl in between the walls of All three men, convicted of A group of families from Hyde Engle v. Vitale was brought to the prison. bank robbery, used the bare Park, New York complained that the United States Supreme minimum to escape from the their children were forcibly told Court and in July 23 ruled Frank Morris and the Anglin thought-to-be impenetrable to recite the prayer, Almighty unconstitutional. The margins Brothers are assumed to be prison in the middle of San God at their local public school. consisted of a 6-1 ratio with missing or dead. This case was led by Steven two justices being absent. Engel who was Jewish. Engel argued that these mandatory Associate Justice Hugo Black prayers violated the first wrote the opinion of the U.S. EMBARGO amendment to the Constitution, Supreme Court and stated, the freedom of religion. “that, by using its public school system to encourage AGAINST CUBA William J. Vitale, the president recitation of the Regents’ of the Board of Education argued prayer, the State of New York that students who did not has adopted a practice wholly associate themselves with the inconsistent with the ANNOUNCED. By Anna Bichon Christian faith could remain Establishment Clause.” silent during the prayer, or leave President John F. Kennedy announced he ordered an embargo on the island nation of Cuba. He decided to do that because of the the classroom. Vitale argued that Justice Potter Stewart voted these prayers were constitutional for prayers in public schools. installation of new Soviet missiles on the island. because it was voluntary and He could not understand “how Earlier the same week, Kennedy saw airplane pictures as proof for promoted the free exercise of an ‘official religion’ is those missiles. Finally, he met with his advisors. religion, which is also supported established by letting those in the first amendment. who want to say a prayer say In a few days, they realize that they only have three choices: it. I think to deny the wish of negotiate with the Soviets, bomb the missiles in Cuba or blockade The prayer reads as follows, these school children to join the island. "Almighty God, we acknowledge in reciting this prayer is to our dependence upon Thee, and deny them the opportunity of President Kennedy talked aout a “quarantine” for the island of beg Thy blessings upon us, our sharing in the spiritual Cuba. “This urgent transformation of Cuba into an important teachers, and our country." heritage of our Nation.” strategic base—by the presence of these large, long-range, and clearly offensive weapons of sudden mass destruction--constitutes The families that disagreed with The practice of prayers in these prayers proceeded to sue Public Schools contradicts the an explicit threat to the peace and security of all the Americas” he said, adding “In that sense, missiles in Cuba add to an already Vitale in 1959 for violating the First Amendment to the religious clause in the first Constitution. Although ruled clear and present danger.” amendment. unconstitutional, many Americans listening to his speech on the TV became worried. The disagree with this decision. President sent a warning to the U.S.S.R. saying that the U.S. would not surrender in any case of nuclear attack by Cuba and made the Western part of the world on really high state of alert. Lutheran Churches Kennedy thought the embargo was a punishment againt Fidel Castro’s alliance with the U.S.S.R. But Cuba and the U.S.S.R. were not the only ones punished. It ended up that the U.S. also lost Merge money by making the blockade and stopping the trade. By Hussein Aden The American Lutheran Church was an organization formed in 1930 by a merger of various Evangelical Lutheran groups. It is headquartered in New York City. This Church is made up of migrants from European heritage like German, Swede, and other Europeans. The Lutheran Church was often considered the most liberal churches in the country because most of the Lutheran Churches had their own way of teaching that means not all of them teach the same way. Lutheran Churches were built in the East and Midwest because many immigrants from Europe lived there. Historical News Rock 1962 Year-IN-Review: National News Supreme Court Columbus Day OKs Court Storm Wreaks Reapportionment Havoc on Pacific Northwest By Lissette Lagunas The case was taken to the Supreme Court since they were arguing about an The U.S.