1950-1959

Brinks robbery

Jan 17, 1950

Brinks robbery in Boston occurs when eleven masked bandits stole $2.8 million from an armored car outside their office.

Population

May 4, 1950

For thr first time the 1920 census indicate a population in the United States over 100 million people, 15% increase from last time.

Korean War

Jun 25, 1950

Korean War begins, North Korea invades South Korea.

Crime

Feb 28, 1951

Preliminary report from the Senator Estes Kefauver investigation that had begun on May 11, 1950 into organized crime issued, stating that gambling take was in excess of $20 billion per year.

Julius and Ethel Rosenberg

Mar 29, 1951

Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were found guilty of conspiracy of wartime espionage and sentenced to death.

ANZUS

Sep 1, 1951

The United States, Australia, and New Zealand sign a mutual security pact, the ANZUS Treaty.

Winter Olympics

Feb 14, 1952

The 1952 Winter Olympics games open in Helsinki, Finland with thirty participating nations.

Seizure of United States

Apr 8, 1952

President Truman authorizes the seizure of United States steel mills in order to avert a strike, but his action is ruled illegal by the U.S. Supreme Court on June 2.

Hydrogen Bomb

Nov 1, 1952

At Eniwetok Atoll in the Pacific Ocean, the first hydrogen bomb, named Mike, is exploded.

Double Helix

Apr 25, 1953

The description of a double helix DNA molecule is published by British physicist Francis Crick and American scientist James D. Watson. They, along with New Zealand born scientist Maurice Wilkins were awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for their discovery in 1962.

Korean War

Jul 27, 1953

Fighting ceased in the Korean War. North Korea, South Korea, the United States, and the Republic of China sign an armistice agreement.

TV

Dec 30, 1953

First colored televisions go on sale

McDonald's

Jan 1, 1954

Ray Kroc founds the idea for the McDonald's corporation, agreeing to franchise the idea of Dick and Mac McDonald, who had started the first McDonald's restaurant in 1940 and had eight restaurants by 1954.

Segregation

May 17, 1954

Racial segregation in public schools is declared unconstitutional by the United States Supreme Court in Brown vs. the Board of Education.

Joseph McCarthy

Sep 8, 1954

Joseph McCarthy begins televised Senate hearings into alleged Communist influence in the United States Army.

United States government

Feb 12, 1955

The United States government agrees to train South Vietnamese troops.

"deliberate speed"

May 31, 1955

The Supreme Court of the United States orders that all public school be integrated with "deliberate speed."

Walt Disney

Jul 17, 1955

The brainchild of Walt Disney, whose father had worked at previous world's fair and inspired his son, Disneyland, opens in Anaheim, California, with the backing of the new television network, ABC.

Rosa Parks

Dec 1, 1955

Rosa Parks got arrested for not giving her seat up on the bus to a white man.

Congressman

Mar 12, 1956

One hundred and one congressmen from Southern states call for massive resistance to the Supreme Court ruling on desegregation.

Highway

Jun 29, 1956

Interstate highway system begins with the signing of the Federal-Aid Highway Act.

Telephone

Sep 25, 1956

The first transatlantic telephone cable began operation.

Dwight D. Eisenhower

Jan 21, 1957

President Dwight D. Eisenhower is inaugurated for his second term in office.

Federal Bureau

Mar 13, 1957

The Federal Bureau of Investigation arrest labor leader Jimmy Hoffa under a bribery charge.

U.S. Congress

Apr 29, 1957

U.S. Congress approves the first civil rights bill since reconstruction with additional protection of voting rights.

Space Satellite

Jan 31, 1958

Explorer I, the first U.S. space satellite, is launched by the Army at Cape Canaveral. It would discover the Van Allen radiation belt.

Earthquake

Jul 8, 1958

The Lituya Bay, Alaska earthquake registers 7.5 on the Richter scale, producing a landslide that caused a megatsunami with a 520 meter high wave.

Jet airline

Dec 10, 1958

Jet airline passenger service inaugurated in the United States by National Airlines with a flight between New York City and Miami, Florida.

Alaska

Jan 3, 1959

Alaska is admitted to the United States as the 49th state to be followed on August 21 by Hawaii.

Cuban government

Jan 7, 1959

The United States recognizes the new Cuban government under rebel leader Fidel Castro. Castro becomes the Premier of Cuba on February 16.

NASA

Apr 9, 1959

NASA selects the first seven military pilots to become the Mercury Seven, first astronauts of the United States.