The 1960s Aren’t That Far Away, Apparently

The 1960s can feel like black-and-white history until you remember plenty of the decade’s biggest names are still here, still working, and still popping up in headlines. These people were shaping politics, protest movements, music, space travel, or pop culture while the rest of the world was arguing about miniskirts and the moon landing. Here are 20 major figures with real 1960s impact who are still alive today.

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1. Buzz Aldrin

Apollo 11 happened in 1969, and Aldrin became part of one of the most famous moments of the entire century. Being a key part of the first-ever moon landing is still an unbeatable conversation starter, even decades later. If you think the space race was “just history,” he’s a living reminder it was real.

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2. Joan Baez

Baez wasn’t just singing in the 1960s; she was using music as a megaphone for social justice. Her voice became closely tied to protest culture and the era’s biggest political questions. It’s hard to think of the decade’s activism without her in the frame.

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3. Angela Davis

Davis became internationally known through late-1960s activism and the political storm that followed into the early 1970s. Her name was tied to major debates about race, justice, and protest in a way that made her a global figure. Even now, she’s a shorthand for radical thought and resistance.

Oregon State University on Wikimedia

4. Paul McCartney

If the 1960s had a soundtrack, he helped write most of it. His work with the Beatles didn’t just top charts; it changed what pop music could be. It's wild that the man who wrote "Let It Be" still walks this earth and performs on it, too. 

Oli Gill on Wikimedia

5. The 14th Dalai Lama (Tenzin Gyatso)

He became a truly global figure in the 1960s as awareness of Tibet’s situation grew internationally. His public role blends spirituality with politics in a way that’s hard to separate, even if you try. When people talk about moral leadership from that era, his name shows up fast.

Luca Galuzzi (Lucag) on Wikimedia

6. Clint Eastwood

He became one of the 1960s’ most popular stars by leaning into tough, watchable characters. Those spaghetti western roles turned him into a global icon and set the tone for a lot of modern action heroes. His stone-cold delivery of such famous lines as "Do you feel lucky, punk?" made him a timeless icon and shaped a whole genre.

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7. Bob Dylan

Dylan’s 1960s shift from folk to rock helped reshape modern songwriting. His lyrics brought a sharper, more literary edge to popular music right when the culture was boiling over. Even if you don’t consider yourself a fan, you’ve heard his influence everywhere.

Daniel Kramer on Wikimedia

8. Valentina Tereshkova

In 1963, she became the first woman to travel into space, which is about as “1960s milestone” as it gets. Her flight wasn’t symbolic; it was a major event in the space race. It’s the kind of accomplishment that never stops sounding impressive.

Alexander Mokletsov / Александр Моклецов on Wikimedia

9. Jane Fonda

Fonda’s fame took off in the 1960s, and she also became known for political activism tied to that era. She’s one of those rare people whose celebrity and public causes have been intertwined for decades. Whether or not you agree with everything she's said or done, there's no denying her significance in shaping the swinging 60s.

Georges Biard on Wikimedia

10. Mick Jagger

The Rolling Stones’ frontman was already a force in the 1960s, turning rock shows into full-body performances. He didn’t just sing the songs; he sold an attitude that the decade loved. Somehow, the energy is still part of the deal.

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11. Noam Chomsky

Chomsky’s academic work reshaped linguistics starting in the 1950s, and his public activism became especially visible during the Vietnam War era. By the late 1960s, his critiques of power and policy were part of the broader cultural argument happening everywhere. He’s one of those figures people reference even when they haven’t read him.

Andrea Womack on Wikimedia

12. Julie Andrews

If you grew up with Mary Poppins or The Sound of Music, you already know one of the decade’s biggest movie stars. Her 1960s peak was built on pure talent and that instantly recognizable voice. It’s basically impossible to hear her name without humming something.

Eva Rinaldi on Wikimedia

13. Joni Mitchell

She emerged from the 1960s folk scene with songwriting that felt personal in a way pop music didn’t always allow. The decade’s musical experimentation opened a door, and she walked through it with a totally distinct voice. If you like honest lyrics, you can trace a line back to her.

Capannelle on Wikimedia

14. Andrew Young

If you picture the civil rights movement as marches and speeches, Andrew Young was one of the people doing the behind-the-scenes work that made those moments possible. He served as executive director of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference in the mid-1960s and was a close aide to Martin Luther King Jr., helping negotiate and organize during some of the decade’s biggest campaigns. 

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15. Keith Richards

He’s the guitarist whose riffs and songwriting helped define the Stones’ 1960s run. His playing style became a blueprint for generations of rock bands trying to sound grungy and wild without sounding like they're trying. If you’ve ever air-guitared in your kitchen, he’s partly to blame.

Dina Regine on Wikimedia

16. Barbra Streisand

Streisand helped redefine stardom in the 1960s, bringing a new kind of presence to music and film. She wasn’t trying to fit a mold, and that was the point. Her success made space for more complicated, specific leading women.

Al Ravenna, World Telegram staff photographer on Wikimedia

17. Paul Simon

Simon & Garfunkel were one of the key bands of the era, their music immortalized in the quintessentially '60s film, The Graduate. Their songs captured the era’s mood swings, from dreamy to anxious to quietly profound. He’s also proof that thoughtful writing can find mainstream popularity.

Rama on Wikimedia

18. Bernie Sanders

Before he was a household political name, Bernie Sanders was active in civil rights organizing as a University of Chicago student in the early 1960s. He was involved with groups like CORE and took part in protests against segregation. Even if you mostly know him from modern politics, his public life roots go back to that decade’s fights.

Shelly Prevost on Wikimedia

19. Yoko Ono

Ono was an influential conceptual and performance artist in the 1960s, pushing boundaries that mainstream culture didn’t always know what to do with. She helped shape avant-garde art conversations that still echo today. Love her work or not, she changed the room.

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20. Ringo Starr

The Beatles don’t work as a legend without their drummer, and he’s still very much in the mix. Beyond the band’s peak 1960s mania, he’s had a long solo run that keeps him in the public eye. You can practically hear the snare hits when you read his name.

Eva Rinaldi from Sydney, Australia on Wikimedia