What happened in August 1959?
The top front-page story of each day in August 1959, as it was reported at the time. Click a date to see that day’s full front page and the matching birthday books.
- Aug 1🚁 Boy Rescued in Canyon – A boy lost in the Grand Canyon for six days is rescued by helicopter after searchers had given up hope.
- Aug 2🎾 Australia Wins Tennis – Australia clinches the zone final in the Davis Cup with a doubles victory over Cuba, showcasing strong tennis talent.
- Aug 3🎾 Krishnan Wins Tennis Crown – Krishnan defeats Reed in hardcourt tennis finals with scores of 12-10, 6-3, 6-3. Sandra Reynolds also wins her final.
- Aug 4🏛️ Early Christian Catacomb Found – Construction workers in Rome discover well-preserved early Christian catacombs with frescoes and inscriptions.
- Aug 5🌍 U.N. Arms Talks Renewed – Big Four Foreign Ministers agree to reopen deadlocked negotiations on arms control, offering new hope for global disarmament.
- Aug 6🌍 Global Trade Recovery – GATT report indicates strong recovery in global trade, starting in the second half of 1958.
- Aug 7🎬 Hitchcock's Film Premiere – 'North by Northwest' opens, showcasing stunning visuals and suspenseful storytelling by Alfred Hitchcock.
- Aug 8🚀 Weather Balloon Launched – Air Force successfully launches a weather balloon 50 miles into space, marking a significant achievement in aerospace testing.
- Aug 9🏌️ Gardner's Team Advances – Gardner's team wins two matches, reaching the semi-finals in the Jersey 4-Ball golf event, showcasing local talent.
- Aug 10🏛️ World's Fair Planned – Plans for a major World's Fair in New York in 1964 are announced, celebrating the city's 300th anniversary with a projected cost of half a billion dollars.
- Aug 11🔬 Thorium Tested as Fuel – The A.E.C. aims to build a reactor using thorium, a more abundant alternative to uranium for nuclear fuel.
- Aug 12💉 Polio Outbreak Response – 10,000 adults wait in the rain outside Montreal City Hall for their first Salk polio vaccinations amid an outbreak.
- Aug 13🚢 U.S. Supertanker Launched – The largest cargo-carrier in the U.S., a supertanker of 65,926 deadweight tons, is launched, marking a milestone in maritime engineering.
- Aug 14🚀 Discoverer Orbit Success – The Discoverer satellite successfully achieves polar orbit on its fifth attempt, marking a significant milestone in space exploration.
- Aug 15🏥 Health Fund Bill Signed – President signs a $3.4 billion health fund bill, suggesting Congress allocated too much for research.
- Aug 16🌍 New World Bank Proposal – The U.S. will propose a new World Bank aimed at providing low-cost loans to poor nations, enhancing global economic support.
- Aug 17🌍 U.S. Antarctic Exploration – U.S. scientists plan to explore unknown areas of Antarctica starting in October, aiming to study new fields.
- Aug 18🚀 Sodium Flare Visible – A U.S. rocket produced a sodium flare visible 700 miles away, creating a cloud at 150 miles altitude for atmospheric research.
- Aug 19🏴☠️ Hawaii Joins Union – Hawaii is set to become the 50th U.S. state, with President proclaiming its entry and unveiling a new flag design.
- Aug 20🚢 Queen of Tankers Launched – The National Defender, the largest U.S. merchant cargo vessel, is launched in Virginia, marking a significant achievement in maritime history.
- Aug 21🚀 Satellite Ejects Capsule – A satellite successfully ejects a 300-pound capsule, but Air Force planes fail to retrieve it during a test in the Pacific.
- Aug 22🇺🇸 Hawaii Becomes State – Hawaii is officially welcomed as the 50th U.S. state, with President Eisenhower calling it a historic occasion.
- Aug 23🗺️ Motor Route to Orient – A 7,000-mile highway connecting Southern Asia is being planned by the U.N. to enhance transportation and trade.
- Aug 24🌤️ Cool Air Ends Heat – Cool air from the north ends a two-week heat wave in the Northeast, bringing relief to residents.
- Aug 25🦩 Herons Return to Sanctuary – 2,000 herons and other birds return to a sanctuary in Jersey, marking a significant wildlife recovery for bird lovers.
- Aug 26🚀 Astronauts Test Device – Astronauts conduct a demonstration of a take-off device in a centrifuge, simulating high gravity forces.
- Aug 27🕊️ Eisenhower Hailed in Bonn – President Eisenhower receives a hero's welcome in Bonn, reaffirming U.S. support for West Germany and free Berlin.
- Aug 28🏛️ Pan-American Games Open – The Third Pan-American Games commence in Chicago with a ceremony attended by 40,000, featuring 2,162 athletes from 24 nations.
- Aug 29🌍 Soviet Atomic-Test Ban – Soviet Union agrees to renew atomic-test ban if the West refrains from testing, following U.S. and Britain’s extension of the suspension.
- Aug 30🌊 Typhoon Hits Taipei – A typhoon in Taipei resulted in six fatalities, prompting police to evacuate residents to safety as the storm weakened in the hills.
- Aug 31🌍 World Bank Bond Sale – The World Bank sells $100 million in bonds privately across 34 nations, with an interest rate of 4.75%.
Happy Birthday! 1959 – The Year in Headlines
The whole of 1959 in real headlines. See the 1959 book →
Born in August? Pick the day
Every birthday in August has its own On This Day in Headlines book: