The Year 1977 in Review: Facts, Trivia, and Historic Highlights

This quick read is a collection of fun facts, trivia, and historic events from the year 1977. Discover the year’s top news stories, most influential people, U.S. economic data, sports facts, entertainment trivia, and much more.

1. In 1977, Gerald Ford (R-Michigan) was the U.S. president until January 20. On that day, Jimmy Carter (D-Georgia) was sworn in as the 39th president of the United States.
2. The 95th Congress was in session. There were 435 representatives, including 292 Democrats and 143 Republicans.
3. The U.S. unemployment rate was 6.4%, the nation’s inflation rate was 6.5%, and the average retail price for a gallon of gas was 65 cents.
4. The average household income in the U.S. was $15,000, the average cost of a new house was $49,300, and the average monthly rent was $240.00.
5. American companies and brands established in 1977 included American Eagle Outfitters, Camp Beverly Hills, Highmark, The Jewelry Exchange, Mission Foods, the Oracle Corporation, and The Vitamin Shoppe.
6. Consumer products launched during the year included Cookie Crisp cereal, Cracklin’ Oat Bran cereal, Juicy Juice, Opium perfume, Post-it Notes, and SlimFast diet shakes.
7. Did you know that three future U.S. presidents tied the knot in 1977? George W. Bush married teacher Laura Welch, Donald Trump married model Ivana Zelníčková, and Joe Biden married teacher Jill Jacobs.
8. On January 3, co-founders Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak officially incorporated Apple Computer.
9. On January 19, Miami received snow for the first time in its history.
10. On January 21, President Carter pardoned nearly all Vietnam War draft evaders.
11. On January 23, Roots, a television miniseries based on Alex Haley's novel of the same name, premiered on ABC.
12. From January 28 to February 1, the Great Lakes Blizzard blanketed Buffalo (New York) and southern Ontario (Canada). Wind gusts ranged from 46 to 69 mph, and snow totals were as high as 100 inches in some areas.
13. On January 30, over 100 million viewers watched the final installment of the ABC miniseries, Roots.
14. On March 1, the United States extended its territorial waters by 200 miles.
15. On March 2, Jay Leno made his first appearance on The Tonight Show (NBC) with Johnny Carson. Back in 1977, few people realized that Leno would become The Tonight Show host in 1992.
16. On March 2, actress Bette Davis became the first woman to receive the American Film Institute’s Life Achievement Award.
17. On March 15, the U.S. House of Representatives began a 90-day test of televising its sessions.
18. At the 49th Academy Awards on March 28, which honored the best films of 1976, Rocky won an Oscar for Best Picture, and John G. Avildsen (Rocky) won an Oscar for Best Director. Peter Finch (Network) won an Oscar for Best Actor, and Faye Dunaway (Network) won an Oscar for Best Actress. Finally, Harlan County, USA, won an Oscar for Best Documentary Feature, and Black and White in Color (Côte d'Ivoire) won an Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film.
19. On April 18, Alex Haley received the Pulitzer Prize for his novel, Roots.
20. On April 26, Studio 54, a legendary disco nightclub, opened at 254 West 54th Street in midtown Manhattan. The club “was the epicenter of the disco era” and “was known for its extravagant parties, celebrity guests, and permissive atmosphere where celebrities and socialites mingled with artists and the city's elite.” Studio 54 closed in 1980.
21. On May 23, the Supreme Court refused to hear the appeals of “Watergate wrongdoers” H. R. Haldeman, John Ehrlichman, and John Mitchell. All three men eventually went to prison for obstruction of justice, conspiracy, and perjury.
22. On May 25, the original Star Wars film, directed by George Lucas and starring Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, and Harrison Ford, was released.
23. On May 29, A. J. Foyt won the Indianapolis 500 for the fourth time.
24. On May 31, the 800-mile-long Trans-Alaska Pipeline System was completed.
25. In April, residents of Dover, Massachusetts, reported sightings of the “Dover Demon,” an alien creature with “a watermelon head, glowing eyes, and no facial features.” The sightings drew worldwide attention, but no “conclusive explanation” for them has ever been found. Theories over the years have included misidentified animals, cryptids, aliens, or a teenage prank.
26. On June 2, Atlantic City made history when it became the first location in the U.S., outside of Nevada, to have legalized casino gambling.
27. On June 9, large-scale parties, parades, and fireworks took place throughout the UK commemorating Queen Elizabeth's Silver Jubilee.
28. On June 10, James Earl Ray, the convicted assassin of Martin Luther King, escaped from Brushy Mountain State Prison in Petros, Tennessee. He was recaptured on June 13.
29. On June 10, Apple II computers went on sale for $1,298.00 apiece, which is equivalent to about $7,000.00 in purchasing power today.
30. On June 26, Elvis Presley sang in Indianapolis, Indiana, for the last performance of his career.
31. On July 7, The Spy Who Loved Me, the 10th James Bond film, premiered in London. It starred Roger Moore and Barbara Bach.
32. From July 13 to 14, nearly all of New York City had a 25-hour blackout after a lightning storm left “the Big Apple” without power.
33. On July 24, Bernard Thevenet of France won the 64th Tour de France.
34. On August 4, President Carter signed legislation establishing the U.S. Department of Energy.
35. On August 16, Elvis Presley passed away at his Graceland mansion in Memphis, Tennessee. Dubbed the “King of Rock and Roll,” Presley died of a heart attack, “likely brought on by his addiction to prescription barbiturates.”
36. On September 7, President Carter and Panama's General Omar Torrijos signed the Panama Canal Treaty, which gave Panama control of the waterway after 1999.
37. On September 11, at the 29th Primetime Emmy Awards, The Mary Tyler Moore Show (CBS) won an Emmy for Outstanding Comedy Series, and Upstairs, Downstairs (PBS) won an Emmy for Outstanding Drama Series.
38. On October 15, Debbie Boone’s You Light Up My Life went to #1 and stayed there for 10 weeks.
39. On November 1, President Carter raised the minimum wage from $2.30 to $3.35 an hour, effective on January 1, 1981.
40. On November 8, Ed Koch became the mayor of New York City, an office he would hold until 1989.
41. On December 12, Saturday Night Fever, a film starring John Travolta, premiered in New York City.
42. On November 13, Al Capp’s satirical comic strip, Li'l Abner, ended its 43-year run in newspapers.
43. From December 19 to 21, the Great Bakersfield Dust Storm ravaged the southern San Joaquin Valley in California, resulting in three deaths and over $40 million in damages.
44. Famous people who passed away in 1977 included Bing Crosby, Charlie Chaplin, Elvis Presley, Ethel Waters, Groucho Marx, Guy Lombardo, Joan Crawford, Maria Callas, Ruth Graves Wakefield, Vladimir Nabokov, and Zero Mostel.
45. Best-selling fiction book: The Silmarillion by J. R. R. Tolkien and Christopher Tolkien
46. Most popular TV program: Laverne & Shirley (ABC)
47. Highest-grossing movie: Star Wars
48. Biggest pop music artists: Barbra Streisand, Barry Manilow, Barry White, the Bee Gees, the Commodores, Daryl Hall & John Oates, Debby Boone, Donna Summer, the Eagles, Earth, Wind & Fire, Fleetwood Mac, Heatwave, KC & the Sunshine Band, Linda Ronstadt, Lou Rawls, Natalie Cole, Rufus featuring Chaka Khan, the Steve Miller Band, and Stevie Wonder
49. Here are some more sports facts from 1977: The Oakland Raiders won the Super Bowl, the Montreal Canadiens clinched the Stanley Cup, and the Portland Trail Blazers were the NBA champions. In addition, MLB shortstop Ernie Banks was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.
50. In 1977 as well, the words "bad cholesterol," "buzz cut," "cheesesteak," "chop shop," "good cholesterol," "head game," "hot second," "memory foam," "palimony," "Plan B," "PC," "reverse mortgage," "scratch ticket," "shopaholic," "shelter-in-place," "strip mall," and "text message" all appeared in print for the first time.

References:

1. https://www.merriam-webster.com/time-traveler/1977
2. https://www.imdb.com/search/name/?death_date=1977-01-01,1977-12-31
3. https://www.mclib.info/Research/Local-History-Genealogy/Historic-Prices/Historic-Prices-1970s/Historic-Prices-1977
4. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1977_in_the_United_States
5. https://www.onthisday.com/events/date/1977
6. https://popculturemadness.com/1977-history-trivia-fun-facts/
7. https://www.factmonster.com/year/1977
8. https://www.foodreference.com/html/html/food-history-1975.html

Disclaimer: In writing and editing this article, Gregory DeVictor has made every effort to ensure historical accuracy and not to mislead his audience. In addition, the contents of this article, including text, graphics, and captions, are for general informational purposes only.

© 2026 Gregory DeVictor