What happened in December 1950?
The top front-page story of each day in December 1950, as it was reported at the time. Click a date to see that day’s full front page and the matching birthday books.
- Dec 1🌍 Truman Summons Leaders – President Truman calls Congress leaders to request support for an additional $11 to $21 billion for the arms program amid rising tensions.
- Dec 2🎨 Art Shows Opened – Various media showcased at art shows, including Balish's watercolors and experimental sculptures, highlighting artistic diversity.
- Dec 3🔬 Southwest Yields Fossils – Rare fossil bones, including the best-preserved skull of a 60-million-year-old animal, discovered in the Southwest.
- Dec 4🫀 Heart-Lung Device Tested – A heart-lung device is ready for tests aimed at reviving individuals declared clinically dead, marking a significant medical advancement.
- Dec 5🏆 World Title Fight – Charles favored to defeat Barone in a world title fight in Cincinnati, with a crowd of 10,000 expected for the event.
- Dec 6🖼️ Prize-Winning Paintings – Prize-winning artworks showcased at the Metropolitan Museum highlight a diverse range of contemporary styles and themes.
- Dec 7🌍 U.S. Embargo on China – The U.S. imposes an embargo on all goods to China, including non-strategic cargoes, amid rising tensions during the Korean War.
- Dec 8🚢 New Speed Queen Liner – Tests confirm the new liner, Independence, achieves an average speed of 26.105 knots and will be fully air-conditioned.
- Dec 9🎶 Sibelius Honored Birthday – Composer Jean Sibelius receives a new medal from the Finnish government to celebrate his 85th birthday.
- Dec 10🎼 Koussevitzky Concert – Conductor Serge Koussevitzky leads the Boston Symphony Orchestra in a celebrated performance of Brahms and Sibelius at Carnegie Hall.
- Dec 11🏔️ U.S. Expedition Climbs Everest – A U.S. expedition successfully ascends 18,000 feet on the unexplored side of Mount Everest, marking a significant achievement in mountaineering.
- Dec 12⚾ Baseball Commissioner Change – Discussion on successor to baseball commissioner Chandler expected today, surprising many in the sport.
- Dec 13🌍 U.N. Adopts Economy Plans – The United Nations Assembly unanimously votes on two resolutions to speed up full employment initiatives worldwide.
- Dec 14🌍 U.N. Disarmament Board – U.N. Assembly establishes a board to study the merging of atomic and conventional disarmament efforts, passing with a 47-5 vote.
- Dec 15🔬 50% Blindness Preventable – National Society head states that full use of scientific knowledge can prevent half of all blindness cases.
- Dec 16🌍 U.N. Adopts Budget – The United Nations Assembly approves a budget of $47,798,600 for 1951, marking a $6,156,827 increase from the previous year.
- Dec 17🔬 New Music School Opens – Florida State University will open a new four-story music school building costing $1.65 million this week.
- Dec 18🎶 Davis Recital Performance – Soprano Ellabelle Davis presents a well-devised recital at Town Hall after a two-year absence, captivating the audience.
- Dec 19🌾 Abundant Harvest Forecast – The 1950 harvest is projected to be the third largest on record, exceeding the average of the previous eight years.
- Dec 20🎁 Foundlings' Party Success – 1,100 adults attended a party for foundlings, where gifts were distributed, raising $70,000 for a building fund, promoting peace.
- Dec 21✈️ Korean Orphans Rescued – 964 Korean orphans flown to safety by U.S. transports, taken to a secret island for protection amid ongoing conflict.
- Dec 22🎼 Beethoven Concert Held – Szell conducts a Philharmonic concert featuring Beethoven's works with Erica Morini as the violin soloist.
- Dec 23🏭 Kaiser Aluminum Earnings – Kaiser Aluminum reports earnings of $2.59 per share, up from $1.24 a year ago, reflecting strong corporate performance.
- Dec 24🕊️ Tomb of St. Peter Found – Pope confirms the discovery of St. Peter's tomb in Vatican, marking a significant archaeological find.
- Dec 25🎄 Midnight Services Celebrate – Midnight services across cities mark Christ's birth with traditional music and prayers for peace.
- Dec 26📺 TV as Defense Aid – R.C.A. Chairman David Sarnoff highlights the growth of television, with 10 million sets in the U.S. by 1950.
- Dec 27🕊️ Churches Call for Prayer – Presidents of Lutheran Synod and Methodists urge a solemn New Year with a day of prayer for peace and reflection.
- Dec 28🔬 Super Microscope Breakthrough – A new electronic microscope reveals a miniature world, enhancing cell research capabilities, presented at a scientific meeting.
- Dec 29🎶 Szell Introduces Concerto – George Szell leads the Philharmonic in the U.S. premiere of Martin's concerto for seven wind instruments.
- Dec 30🌒 Total Sun Eclipse – A total solar eclipse was recorded by radio on Attu, yielding new data for astronomers despite heavy rain.
- Dec 31🔬 New Hormone Discovery – Harvard researchers announce a breakthrough in understanding life mechanisms linked to a newly discovered hormone.
Happy Birthday! 1950 – The Year in Headlines
The whole of 1950 in real headlines. See the 1950 book →
Born in December? Pick the day
Every birthday in December has its own On This Day in Headlines book: