What Happened in 1959

"I'm All Right Jack" Is Released

I'm All Right Jack is a British comedy film directed and produced by John and Roy Boulting released in 1959 as a sequel to their 1956 film... Read more

Collapse of the Fulgencio Batista regime

After the loss at the Battle of Santa Clara, expecting betrayal by his own army and having lost all backup from the previously supportive US... Read more

North Vietnamese Army unit creates supply route from North Vietnam to Vietcong forces in South Vietnam

In January 1959, the North's Central Committee issued a secret resolution authorizing an "armed struggle". This authorized the southern communists... Read more

"What A Diff'rence A Day Made" Is Released

"What a Difference a Day Made" is a popular song originally written in Spanish by María Méndez Grever (María Grever), a Mexican composer, in 1934.... Read more

'Happy Birthday to You!' is Published

Happy Birthday to You! is a 1959 children's book by Dr. Seuss. It deals with a fantastic land called Katroo, where the Birthday Bird throws... Read more

Ford Galaxie is First Produced

The Ford Galaxie was a full-size car built in the United States by the Ford Motor Company for model years 1959 through 1974. The name was used for... Read more

First Photocopier, the Xerox 914, is Introduced to the Market

The Xerox 914 was the first successful commercial plain paper copier which in 1959 revolutionized the document-copying industry. The culmination of... Read more

Datsun Sports S211 is First Produced

The Datsun Sports (called Fairlady in the home market), was a series of roadsters produced by Nissan in the 1960s. The series was a predecessor to... Read more

Mercedes-Benz W111 is First Produced

The "Fintail" (German: Heckflosse) was a series of luxury vehicles produced by Mercedes-Benz from 1959 to 1968 under the W111 chassis... Read more

Nissan Gloria is First Produced

The Gloria (Japanese: 日産・グロリア) is a large luxury car made from 1959 by the Prince Motor Company, and later by Nissan Motors since its merger with... Read more

Alaska is the 49th State Admitted to the Union

President Eisenhower stated his support for the idea of statehood for Alaska early in his administration but also expressed concerns that needed to... Read more

Fidel Castro assumes the post of Commander-in-Chief

On January 8, 1959, Castro's army rolled victoriously into Havana. As news of the fall of Batista's government spread through Havana, The New York... Read more

Incident at Dyatlov Pass

In 1990, the chief investigator, Lev Ivanov, said in an interview that he had been ordered by senior regional officials to close the case and... Read more

Buddy Holly's Last Concert at the Surf Ballroom

Following a performance at the Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake, Iowa on February 2, 1959, Holly chartered a small airplane to take him to the next stop... Read more

The Day the Music Died: Buddy Holly Richie Valens and the Big Bopper J.P. Richardson die in plane crash

Buddy Holly, Richie Valens and the Big Bopper (J.P. Richardson) died in a plane crash in Iowa. Don McClean called this "The Day the Music Died" in... Read more

Buddy Holly's Funeral

Holly's funeral was held on February 7, 1959, at the Tabernacle Baptist Church in Lubbock. The service was officiated by Ben D. Johnson, who had... Read more

Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King Travel To India

“It was wonderful to be in Gandhi’s land,” wrote the Reverend Martin Luther King Jr., a few months after returning from a monthlong visit to India... Read more

Fidel Castro is sworn in as Prime Minister of Cuba

Fidel Castro sought to oust liberals and democrats, such as José Miró Cardona and Manuel Urrutia Lleó. In February professor José Miró Cardona had... Read more

Turkish Airlines Gatwick Crash of 1959

The 1959 Turkish Airlines Gatwick crash was an air disaster that occurred on 17 February 1959, near London Gatwick Airport (IATA: LGW, ICAO: EGKK).... Read more

FDA Approves Immunex's Thiotepa

Why would this drug be used? Thiotepa is used to treat lymphoma and cancers of the breast, ovary, bladder, and other cancer types. It may also... Read more

"Les Cousins" Is Released

Les Cousins is a 1959 French New Wave drama film directed by Claude Chabrol. It tells the story of two cousins, the decadent Paul and the naive... Read more

The Film, 'The Diary of Anne Frank', Based on the Play, is Released

The Diary of Anne Frank is a 1959 motion picture based on the Pulitzer Prize winning play of the same name, which was based on the diary of Anne... Read more

California Beats West Virginia in Final Four

The 1959 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 23 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of... Read more

"Some Like It Hot" Is Released

Some Like It Hot is a 1959 American comedy film directed by Billy Wilder and starring Marilyn Monroe, Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon. The supporting... Read more

"Room At The Top" Is Released

Room at the Top is a 1959 British film based on the novel of the same name by John Braine. The novel was adapted by Neil Paterson with uncredited... Read more