Polio shots are given in schools for the first time.
The 1950s The famous “Don’t Walk” signs are introduced to the streets of New York City.
Fifties Pop History US starts sending $216 million in aid to Vietnam. Now if only we could have stopped right at this point!
The 1950s The U.S. will import 57,115 passenger cars. That number will climb to 668,070 by 1959, which will be a stellar year for imports.
Fifties Pop History Ann Landers starts her famous column in the Chicago Sun-Times.
The 1950s Richard J. Daley is elected mayor of Chicago and begins a 21-year reign powered by patronage politics.
Fifties Pop History Defying Alabama law, Rosa Parks refuses to give up her seat on a bus to a white man. An important story.
The 1950s Campbell home economists develop the recipe for the Green Bean Bake, which continues today as one of the company's most popular recipes. Some estimates go as high as 20,000,000 servings a year! Want the recipe?
Fifties Pop History The first home microwave ovens are manufactured by Tappan. They cost $1300 which really slows sales!
The 1950s Instant Oatmeal is invented by the Quaker Oats Company.
Fifties Pop History On the Air! You'd find 2,635 AM radio, 553 FM radio and 411 TV Stations.
The 1950s West Germany is admitted into NATO May 9. The Soviets counter NATO with creation of the Warsaw Pact, signed by eight countries May 14.
Fifties Pop History Bella Lugosi (Dracula) goes into a hospital for treatment of 20 year drug addition. (No, not blood!)
The 1950s New drugs Thorazine and Reserpine are found to be very useful in the treatment of mental patients.
Fifties Pop History Birds-Eye introduces Potato Patties...no more potato scrubbing, peeling or paring for you! Simply fry patties on each side until evenly browned or you can broil or bake them. An important addition to the basic food groups!
The 1950s It's finger lickin' good! Kentucky Fried Chicken
Fifties Pop History Crest, the first toothpaste with fluoride clinically proven to fight cavities, was introduced.
The 1950s NY psychologist Joyce Brothers won the "$64,000 Question." Her topic? Boxing. Fun story!
Fifties Pop History And the winner is...Oscar stuff.
The 1950s The National Review appears, edited and published by William F. Buckley, Jr.
Fifties Pop History The Village Voice begins publication. Founded by Dan Wolf, Ed Fancher and Norman Mailer, the weekly publication introduced free-form, high-spirited and passionate journalism into the public discourse.
The 1950s Argentina's President Juan Peron is overthrown by a military coup, and he flees to Spain. Pope Pius XII ex-communicates him. When you're out...
Fifties Pop History In Sports...
The 1950s 1st automobile seat belt legislation enacted (Illinois)
Fifties Pop History Barbra Striesand's 1st recording "You'll Never Know" at age 13
The 1950s Ray Kroc starts McDonald's chain of fast food
Fifties Pop History Davy Crockett is reborn on TV as three one hour installments of Disney. Supposedly, so many coonskin caps were bought that the racoon population was endangered. Read about it in the Fifties Fads section.
The 1950s The adult Western comes to TV with The Life and Times of Wyatt Earp and Gunsmoke. The Fifties Web TV Western Section.
Fifties Pop History Operation Alert begins. It is the first civil defense exercise and assumes 60 cities are targets.
The 1950s Big year for car dealers. They produced 9,188,000 cars, trucks and buses. A million above the previous banner year, 1950.
Fifties Pop History For serious trivia buffs - 11/12/1955. Date returned to in "Back to the Future" & "Back to the Future II."
The 1950s The corticosteroid prednisone is developed.
Fifties Pop History Congress authorizes all US currency and coins to say "In God We Trust"
The 1950s Marian Anderson becomes 1st black singer to perform at the Met (NYC)
Fifties Pop History Not only is Del Monte Stewed Tomatoes (inspired by the recipe of an employee's mother) introduced but so is Pineapple Grapefruit Drink. You heard it here first.
The 1950s Disneyland opens and has over 1 million visitors in only 7 weeks.
Fifties Pop History No-iron Dacron introduced. Alright!
The 1950s New at the market - Pillsbury Chocolate Angel Food Cake Mix- "you love it in white... now Pillsbury has it in chocolate too!"
Fifties Pop History Appearing in East of Eden and Rebel Without a Cause, James Dean is killed in an automobile accident when his Porche 550 Spyder crashes near Paso Robles, California.
The 1950s Top of the line mink coats are on sale this week for $895.
Fifties Pop History There is a 41.6% business failure rate.Chart for 1946-1964
The 1950s The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit, by Sloan Wilson; Andersonville, by MacKinlay Kantor; and Gift from the Sea, by Anne Morrow Lindbergh top the Best Seller lists.
Fifties Pop History The 1955 Thunderbird comes to Ford showrooms. At just under $3000 without options, the Corvette now has competition. And a classic car is born. A Pic
The 1950s The American Federation of Labor and the Congress of Industrial Organizations merge, making the new AFL-CIO an organization with 15 million members. George Meany becomes president.
Fifties Pop History President Eisenhower takes part in the first televised press conference.
The 1950s Texan Sam Rayburn is elected Speaker of the House of Representatives for the third and final time. When he died in 1961, Rayburn's 48 consecutive years in the U.S. House set a congressional record for continuous service.
Fifties Pop History Albert Einstein, the worlds greatest genius, dies at age 76.
The 1950s Johnson & Johnson invents the first “baby shampoo”. No More Tears!
Fifties Pop History New design of Ouija Board. It's only a game - isn't it?
The 1950s There are 38,426 motor vehicle related deaths. While in the air, there were 9 accidents resulting in 158 fatalities.
Fifties Pop History Unemployment is 4.4%
The 1950s U.S. GNP (Gross National Product) is $410.2 billion
