Editing 1964 New York World's Fair (section)

==== Opening ====
[[File:US NY NYC 1964-65 Worlds Fair Belgian Village (processed 06-1965) 28 CE Family Coll (51903556916).jpg|thumb|The Belgian Village was not completed until the end of the 1964 season.<ref name="Samuel p. 43"/>|alt=A crowded street with low-rise buildings and trees.]]

The WFC did not host official press previews in the weeks before the official opening, though several exhibitors hosted previews of their pavilions.<ref name=p964068615>{{cite magazine |id={{ProQuest|964068615}} |title=N.Y. World's Fair Opening 'Cold'; Exhibitions to Set Their Own Parties |last=Green |first=Abel |volume=233 |issue=11 |date=Feb 5, 1964 |pages=1, 18 |magazine=Variety}}</ref> The night before the fair opened, the television series ''[[The Bell Telephone Hour]]'' broadcast an opening celebration.<ref name="Samuel pp. 30–31">{{harvnb|Samuel|2007|ps=.|pages=30–31}}</ref> When the World's Fair officially opened at 9:00&nbsp;am on April 22, 1964,<ref name="The Sun 1964" /><ref name="Samuel p. 32; Tirella p. 188">{{harvnb|Samuel|2007|ps=|page=32}}; {{harvnb|Tirella|2013|ps=.|page=188}}</ref> the first visitor was a college student from New Jersey.<ref name="Samuel p. 32; Tirella p. 188" /><ref>{{cite news |last1=Spiegler |first1=William |last2=Molotsky |first2=Irv |date=April 22, 1964 |title=Jersey Student, 18, Is First Through Fair Turnstiles |work=Newsday |page=4 |issn=2574-5298 |id={{ProQuest|914371873}} |postscript=none}}; {{Cite news |date=April 22, 1964 |title=5 College Men Are First in Line at World's Fair |work=Chicago Tribune |page=2 |issn=1085-6706 |id={{ProQuest|179440004}}}}</ref> The opening was celebrated with speeches by Robert Moses, [[Nelson Rockefeller]], and the U.S. president [[Lyndon B. Johnson]].<ref name="The Sun 1964" /><ref>{{cite web |date=22 April 1964 |title=Remarks at the Opening of the New York World's fair |url=https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/remarks-the-opening-the-new-york-worlds-fair |access-date=18 June 2024 |website=The American Presidency Project}}</ref> The same day, Johnson dedicated the [[United States Pavilion]],<ref>{{cite web |date=22 April 1964 |title=Remarks at the United States Pavilion, New York World's Fair |url=https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/remarks-the-united-states-pavilion-new-york-worlds-fair |access-date=18 June 2024 |website=The American Presidency Project |postscript=none}}; {{cite news |title=Shouts Mar Johnson's Talk at Pavilion |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331 |date=April 23, 1964 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1964/04/23/archives/shouts-mar-johnsons-talk-at-pavilion.html |access-date=June 18, 2024}}</ref> while Rockefeller and Moses dedicated the New York State Pavilion.<ref>{{Cite news |date=April 24, 1964 |title=State Wins Praise for Fair Pavilion; Governor and Moses Urge It as Permanent Part of Flushing Meadow Park |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1964/04/24/archives/state-wins-praise-for-fair-pavilion-governor-and-moses-urge-it-as.html |access-date=May 15, 2024 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331 |archive-date=May 16, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240516004853/https://www.nytimes.com/1964/04/24/archives/state-wins-praise-for-fair-pavilion-governor-and-moses-urge-it-as.html |url-status=live}}</ref>

During the opening ceremonies, hundreds of civil-rights activists organized a sit-in and were arrested.<ref>{{harvnb|Samuel|2007|ps=.|page=34}}</ref><ref name="The Sun 1964">{{Cite news |date=April 23, 1964 |title=World's Fair Opens To Picketing; Stall-In Fails: Johnson Foresees Global Peace Soon Rain, Racial Troubles Keep Crowd To 90,000; More Than 290 Integrationists Seized |work=The Sun |page=1 |id={{ProQuest|540050678}} |postscript=none}}; {{Cite news |date=April 23, 1964 |title=Rain Soaks Crowd; Sit-Ins Mar Festivities at Some Pavilions—Attendance Cut |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1964/04/23/archives/rain-soaks-crowd-sitins-mar-festivities-at-some-pavilionsattendance.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240514000810/https://www.nytimes.com/1964/04/23/archives/rain-soaks-crowd-sitins-mar-festivities-at-some-pavilionsattendance.html |archive-date=May 14, 2024 |access-date=May 13, 2024 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> The civil-rights group [[Congress of Racial Equality]] (CORE) proposed a "stall-in" to block roads leading to the fair,<ref>{{cite news |date=April 7, 1964 |title=CORE Chapter Plans A Drive-In To Stall World's Fair Opening: Brooklyn Group Says Proposed Traffic Tie-Up, April 22, Will Spotlight Civil Rights Fight |work=The Wall Street Journal |page=6 |issn=0099-9660 |id={{ProQuest|132950770}} |postscript=none}}; {{Cite news |last=Alden |first=Robert |date=April 10, 1964 |title=CORE Maps Tie-up on Roads to Fair |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1964/04/10/core-maps-tieup-on-roads-to-fair.html |access-date=May 31, 2024 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331 |archive-date=May 31, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240531192224/https://www.nytimes.com/1964/04/10/core-maps-tieup-on-roads-to-fair.html |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Samuel pp. 27–28; Tirella pp. 81–82">{{harvnb|Samuel|2007|ps=|pages=27–28}}; {{harvnb|Tirella|2013|ps=.|pages=81–82}}</ref> but few activists participated.<ref name="The Sun 1964" /><ref name="Tirella h843">{{cite web |last=Tirella |first=Joseph |date=April 22, 2014 |title=Fifty Years Ago Today, Rogue Civil Rights Activists Tried to Ruin Robert Moses' Greatest Triumph |url=https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2014/04/cores-1964-stall-in-the-planned-civil-rights-protest-that-kept-thousands-away-from-the-worlds-fair-in-new-york.html |access-date=May 27, 2024 |website=Slate Magazine |archive-date=January 10, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240110015345/https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2014/04/cores-1964-stall-in-the-planned-civil-rights-protest-that-kept-thousands-away-from-the-worlds-fair-in-new-york.html |url-status=live}}</ref> The opening ceremony attracted 90,000 attendees, fewer than half of the predicted number,<ref name="The Sun 1964" /> in part due to inclement weather.<ref>{{cite magazine |date=April 23, 1964 |title=N. Y. Fair Debut Gets Foul Deal From Weather: Fair Opening Day Ardor Chilled by Clammy Rain |magazine=Women's Wear Daily |pages=1, 7 |volume=108 |issue=81 |id={{ProQuest|1565239518}}}}</ref>  The WFC banned picketing on the grounds, prompting lawsuits from civil-rights groups;<ref name="Samuel pp. 36–37">{{harvnb|Samuel|2007|ps=.|pages=36–37}}</ref> a federal judge later ruled protesters could give out handbills to passers-by.<ref>{{Cite news |date=July 11, 1964 |title=Federal Court Allows 'Rights' Action at World's Fair: Groups May Pass Out Handbills on Protest |work=New Pittsburgh Courier |page=1 |id={{ProQuest|371626195}} |postscript=none}}; {{Cite news |date=July 2, 1964 |title=Rights Picket Ban by Fair is Upheld; But Court Rules Handbills, May Be Given Out There |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1964/07/02/archives/righs-picket-ban-by-fair-is-upheld-but-court-rules-handbills-may-be.html |access-date=June 1, 2024 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331 |archive-date=June 8, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240608142454/https://www.nytimes.com/1964/07/02/archives/righs-picket-ban-by-fair-is-upheld-but-court-rules-handbills-may-be.html |url-status=live}}</ref>

''[[The New York Times]]'' reported fifteen pavilions and three amusement attractions were not finished by opening day.<ref name="nyt-1964-04-22a">{{Cite news |date=April 22, 1964 |title=15% Of the Fair Still Unfinished; 15 Pavilions and 3 Shows in Amusement Area Delayed |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1964/04/22/archives/15-of-the-fair-still-unfinished-15-pavilions-and-3-shows-in.html |access-date=June 3, 2024 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331 |archive-date=June 3, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240603175006/https://www.nytimes.com/1964/04/22/archives/15-of-the-fair-still-unfinished-15-pavilions-and-3-shows-in.html |url-status=live}}</ref> One pavilion, the Belgian Village, was not completed until the end of the 1964 season,<ref name="Samuel p. 43">{{harvnb|Samuel|2007|ps=.|page=43}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Long |first=Tania |date=October 17, 1964 |title=Belgian Village Finished at Last: Medieval 'City' Just in Time for World's Fair Closing |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1964/10/17/archives/belgian-village-finished-at-last-medieval-city-just-in-time-for.html |access-date=June 3, 2024 |work=The New York Times |page=29 |issn=0362-4331 |id={{ProQuest|115921553}} |archive-date=June 3, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240603210802/https://www.nytimes.com/1964/10/17/archives/belgian-village-finished-at-last-medieval-city-just-in-time-for.html |url-status=live}}</ref> though it did operate for part of that year.<ref>{{Cite news |date=July 31, 1964 |title=Belgium Village Upsets Neighbors; Fair Concessionaires Fear New Loss of Business |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1964/07/31/archives/belgium-village-upsets-neighbors-fair-concessionaires-fear-new-loss.html |access-date=June 2, 2024 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331 |archive-date=June 2, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240602225119/https://www.nytimes.com/1964/07/31/archives/belgium-village-upsets-neighbors-fair-concessionaires-fear-new-loss.html |url-status=live}}</ref> Some pavilions could not open on schedule because artifacts in the pavilions had been damaged<ref>{{cite news |last=Alden |first=Robert |date=April 17, 1964 |title=Lebanese Treasures Damaged; Pavilion at Fair to Be Delayed |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1964/04/17/archives/lebanese-treasures-damaged-pavilion-at-fair-to-be-delayed.html |access-date=June 3, 2024 |work=The New York Times |page=22 |issn=0362-4331 |id={{ProQuest|115757755}} |archive-date=June 3, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240603175000/https://www.nytimes.com/1964/04/17/archives/lebanese-treasures-damaged-pavilion-at-fair-to-be-delayed.html |url-status=live}}</ref> or were incomplete.<ref name="McPherson 1964">{{cite news |last=McPherson |first=William |date=April 19, 1964 |title=World's Fair Will Open Wednesday: What It Will Cost To Visit the Fair |work=The Washington Post, Times Herald |page=A32 |issn=0190-8286 |id={{ProQuest|142281829}}}}</ref><ref name="nyt-1964-04-22a" /> Exhibitors also accused workers of delaying some pavilions' construction to collect [[overtime]] pay.<ref>{{Cite news |date=April 17, 1964 |title=Workmen Accused Of Lagging at Fair To Raise Overtime |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1964/04/17/archives/workmen-accused-of-lagging-at-fair-to-raise-overtime.html |access-date=May 31, 2024 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331 |archive-date=June 1, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240601041848/https://www.nytimes.com/1964/04/17/archives/workmen-accused-of-lagging-at-fair-to-raise-overtime.html |url-status=live}}</ref> Three incomplete pavilions were abandoned,<ref name="McPherson 1964" /> and work on other pavilions continued for several months after the opening.<ref name="Samuel p. 43" /> The rich and famous, including government officials and heads of state, visited the fairground in the weeks after it opened.<ref name="Samuel pp. 39–40">{{harvnb|Samuel|2007|ps=.|pages=39–40}}</ref><ref name="Tirella pp. 207–208">{{harvnb|Tirella|2013|ps=.|pages=207–208}}</ref>