If you were born in 1959, then you were born in the same year as the modern seatbelt, the Visa card, the MOS transistor, Walt Disney’s “Sleeping Beauty,” “The Twilight Zone,” and more. The economy recovers from the recession this year and Barbie dolls have become wildly successful.
Interesting Statistics from 1959
- U.S. population: 177.83 million
- Worldwide population: 4.38 billion
- Life expectancy: 69.9 years
- Price of gas: 25 cents per gallon
- Price of a new house: $12,400
- Annual wage: $5,010
Top News in 1959
- Alaska becomes the 49th and Hawaii becomes the 50th state.
- The Antarctic Treaty is signed by a dozen world powers, protecting the continent from military activity.
- Fidel Castro comes into power in Cuba.
If You Were Born in 1959, Your Parents Witnessed These Historic Events
- The first intercontinental ballistic missile is successfully fired in Florida.
- The first lunar probes reach the moon and take pictures.
- Tibet rebels against China but is suppressed. The Dalai Lama and many others flee to India.
- The monkeys Able and Baker are sent to space.
- Pioneer 4 is launched into space.
- The St. Lawrence Seaway is completed.
- The first weather satellite is launched.
- The “kitchen debate” is filmed by the press. In it, Vice President Richard Nixon and Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev informally discuss capitalism and communism at a trade show.
1959 Pop Culture
Sports
- 1959 World Series: Los Angeles Dodgers defeat Chicago White Sox 4-2.
- 1959 NFL Championship: Baltimore Colts defeat New York Giants 31–16.
- 1959 NBA Championship: Boston Celtics defeat Minneapolis Lakers 4-0.
- 1959 Stanley Cup: Montreal Canadiens defeat Toronto Maple Leafs 4-1.
Arts
- Top-grossing movies in 1959: “Ben-Hur,” “The Shaggy Dog,” “Operation Petticoat”
- Top singles in 1959: “The Battle of New Orleans,” “Mack the Knife,” “Personality”
- Top books in 1959: “Exodus,” “Twixt Twelve and Twenty,” “Henderson the Rain King”
Who Else Was Born in 1959?
- Simon Cowell
- Cathy Nesbitt-Stein
- Magic Johnson
- Weird Al-Yankovic
- Rachel Renee Russell
- Emma Thompson
- Mike Pence
- Hugh Laurie
Who Died in 1959?
- Lou Costello
- Cecil B. De Mille
- Mel Ott
- Frank Lloyd Wright