September 1959
Encyclopedia
January
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The following events occurred in September 1959.
January 1959
January – February – March – April – May – June – July – August – September – October – November – DecemberThe following events occurred in January 1959.-January 1, 1959 :...
– February
February 1959
January – February – March – April – May – June – July – August – September – October – November – DecemberThe following events occurred in February 1959.-February 1, 1959 :...
– March
March 1959
January – February – March – April – May – June – July – August – September – October – November – DecemberThe following events occurred in March, 1959.-March 1, 1959 :...
– April
April 1959
January – February – March – April – May – June – July – August – September – October – November – DecemberThe following events occurred in April 1959.-April 1, 1959 :...
– May
May 1959
January – February – March – April – May – June – July – August – September – October – November – DecemberThe following events occurred in May, 1959.-May 1, 1959 :*A patent application January – February – March – April – May –...
– June
June 1959
January – February – March – April – May – June – July – August – September – October – November – DecemberThe following events occurred in June 1959.-June 1, 1959 :...
– July
July 1959
January – February – March – April – May – June – July – August – September – October – November – DecemberThe following events occurred in July 1959.-July 1, 1959 :...
– August
August 1959
January – February – March – April – May – June – July – August – September – October – November – DecemberThe following events occurred in August 1959.-August 1, 1959 :...
– September – October
October 1959
January – February – March – April – May – June – July – August – September – October – November – DecemberThe following events occurred in October 1959.-October 1, 1959 :...
– November
November 1959
January – February – March – April – May – June – July – August – September – October – November – DecemberThe following events occurred in November 1959.-November 1, 1959 :...
– December
December 1959
January – February – March – April – May – June – July – August – September – October – November – DecemberThe following events occurred in December 1959.-December 1, 1959 :...
The following events occurred in September 1959.
September 1, 1959 (Tuesday)
- Police in (KolkataKolkataKolkata , formerly known as Calcutta, is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. Located on the east bank of the Hooghly River, it was the commercial capital of East India...
) fired into a crowd of rioters gathered at the University of CalcuttaUniversity of CalcuttaThe University of Calcutta is a public university located in the city of Kolkata , India, founded on 24 January 1857...
in the second day of violence arising from food shortages. At least seven persons were killed and 30 others injured. Meanwhile in Delhi, India's Defense Minister V K Krishna Menon and the chiefs of India's Army, Navy and Air Force all resigned. After the Indian Army restored order, 27 rioters were dead. - Liquor could legally be sold in OklahomaOklahomaOklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
for the first time since its admission as a state. - Born: Kenny MayneKenny MayneKenneth "Kenny" Wheelock Mayne is a sports journalist and comedian for ESPN.-Sports career:A native of Kent, Washington, Mayne is a former honorable mention junior college All-American quarterback in 1978 at Wenatchee Valley Community College in Wenatchee, WA...
, American sportscaster on ESPN, in Kent, WashingtonKent, WashingtonKent is a city located in King County, Washington, United States, and is the third largest city in King County and the sixth largest in the state. An outlying suburb of Seattle, Kent is also the corporate home for companies such as REI and Oberto Sausage...
September 2, 1959 (Wednesday)
- The U.S. House of Representatives voted 274–138 in favor of overriding President Eisenhower's veto of a appropriation bill, but fell one vote short.
- At a conference in Edmonton, Dr. Linus PaulingLinus PaulingLinus Carl Pauling was an American chemist, biochemist, peace activist, author, and educator. He was one of the most influential chemists in history and ranks among the most important scientists of the 20th century...
said that 290,000 people then living would eventually die of cancer due to fallout from atomic blasts since 1945, and that another 30,000 to 60,000 would die for every nuclear bomb exploded in the future. - Born: Guy LalibertéGuy LalibertéGuy Laliberté, OC, CQ is a Canadian entrepreneur, philanthropist, poker player, space tourist and the current CEO of Cirque du Soleil...
, Canadian founder of Cirque du SoleilCirque du SoleilCirque du Soleil , is a Canadian entertainment company, self-described as a "dramatic mix of circus arts and street entertainment." Based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, and located in the inner-city area of Saint-Michel, it was founded in Baie-Saint-Paul in 1984 by two former street performers, Guy...
, in Quebec CityQuebec CityQuebec , also Québec, Quebec City or Québec City is the capital of the Canadian province of Quebec and is located within the Capitale-Nationale region. It is the second most populous city in Quebec after Montreal, which is about to the southwest...
September 3, 1959 (Thursday)
- Singapore's new flag was raised, replacing the British flag after 140 years. The flag-raising was done while as the new anthem, Majulah Singapura, composed by Encik Zubir, was played. Singapore became independent on December 22, 1965.
- The Korean Taekwondo Association was created by the merger of South Korea's six KwansKwansThis article is about martial arts. For the Finnish music band see KwanKwan in Korean literally means building or hall, but when used in martial arts it can also refer to a school or clan of martial artists who follow the same style and/or leader...
.
September 4, 1959 (Friday)
- The American National Exhibition at Moscow's Sokolniki Park closed after six weeks, having been open since July 25. Earlier in the summer, the Soviet Exhibition of Science, Technology and Culture had been displayed in New YorkNew YorkNew York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. The display of American life has been described as "probably the most productive single psychological effort ever launched by the U.S. in any Communist country." - Born: Kevin Harrington, Australian TV actor (NeighboursNeighboursNeighbours is an Australian television soap opera first broadcast on the Seven Network on 18 March 1985. It was created by TV executive Reg Watson, who proposed the idea of making a show that focused on realistic stories and portrayed adults and teenagers who talk openly and solve their problems...
), in MelbourneMelbourneMelbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
September 5, 1959 (Saturday)
- NWS-9, the first television station in the State of South Australia, began broadcasting.
- The Kingdom of LaosLaosLaos Lao: ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊົນລາວ Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao, officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic, is a landlocked country in Southeast Asia, bordered by Burma and China to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the south and Thailand to the west...
proclaimed a state of emergency a day after asking the United NationsUnited NationsThe United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
to protect it from rebels from North VietnamNorth VietnamThe Democratic Republic of Vietnam , was a communist state that ruled the northern half of Vietnam from 1954 until 1976 following the Geneva Conference and laid claim to all of Vietnam from 1945 to 1954 during the First Indochina War, during which they controlled pockets of territory throughout...
. UN Secretary General Dag HammarskjöldDag HammarskjöldDag Hjalmar Agne Carl Hammarskjöld was a Swedish diplomat, economist, and author. An early Secretary-General of the United Nations, he served from April 1953 until his death in a plane crash in September 1961. He is the only person to have been awarded a posthumous Nobel Peace Prize. Hammarskjöld...
cut short a tour to return to New York to convene a meeting on the crisis.
September 6, 1959 (Sunday)
- The radio show Fibber McGee & Molly was broadcast for the last time. Starring Jim and Marian Jordan, the show debuted on April 16, 1935, and was one of the NBC network's top programs during the 1940s, each Tuesday evening at 9:30. An NBC television version, with Bob Sweeney and Cathy Lewis in the title role, debuted on September 15 and ran for only 12 episodes.
- The first jet airliner landed in Honolulu, a Pan American 707. With the advent of jet travel, a trip to Hawaii was less than five hours from the mainland, turning the islands into a prime tourist destination. The same plane landed in Tokyo at , cutting flight time between the United States and Japan from 29 hours to 17 hours.
- Died: Kay KendallKay KendallKay Kendall was an English actress.Kendall began her film career in the 1946 musical London Town. Though the film was a financial failure, Kendall continued to work regularly until her appearance in the comedy Genevieve brought her widespread recognition...
, 33, British actress, winner of Golden Globe in 1957 for Les GirlsLes GirlsLes Girls, also known as Cole Porter's Les Girls, is a 1957 musical comedy film made by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. It was directed by George Cukor, produced by Sol C...
and wife of Rex Harrison (leukemia); Andrew Jackson May, 84, Congressman from KentuckyKentuckyThe Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
(1931–47), later imprisoned 1949–50 for conspiracy to defraud but pardoned 1952 (b. 1875)
September 7, 1959 (Monday)
- Died: Maurice DuplessisMaurice DuplessisMaurice Le Noblet Duplessis served as the 16th Premier of the Canadian province of Quebec from 1936 to 1939 and 1944 to 1959. A founder and leader of the highly conservative Union Nationale party, he rose to power after exposing the misconduct and patronage of Liberal Premier Louis-Alexandre...
, who had governed the Province of Quebec as its Premier since 1944 died, four days after suffering a stroke while visiting Schefferville. One observer opined later that it was "the event that enabled Quebec to open up to the modern world", adding that "He had been a dictatorial leader, treating members of his cabinet as ciphers, and making all the decisions himself."
September 8, 1959 (Tuesday)
- A bill to protect American mustangMustang (horse)A Mustang is a free-roaming horse of the North American west that first descended from horses brought to the Americas by the Spanish. Mustangs are often referred to as wild horses, but there is intense debate over terminology...
s was signed into law by President Eisenhower, making it a violation of federal law to use aircraft or motorized vehicles on public land in hunting wild horses and burros. Velma Bronn JohnstonVelma Bronn JohnstonVelma Bronn Johnston , also known as Wild Horse Annie, was an animal rights activist. Johnston led a campaign to stop the removal of wild mustangs and burros from public lands. She was instrumental in passing legislation to stop using aircraft and land vehicles to capture wild horses and burros...
of Wadsworth, NevadaWadsworth, NevadaWadsworth is a census-designated place in Washoe County, Nevada, United States. The population was 881 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Reno–Sparks Metropolitan Statistical Area. The town was named for General James S. Wadsworth, a Civil War general killed at the battle of the...
, nicknamed "Wild Horse Annie", had lobbied Congress to pass the bill. - Britain's Prime Minister Harold MacmillanHarold MacmillanMaurice Harold Macmillan, 1st Earl of Stockton, OM, PC was Conservative Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 10 January 1957 to 18 October 1963....
announced that new elections for the 630 seats in the House of Commons would take place on October 8, with Parliament to be dissolved on September 18. - Born: Daler NazarovDaler NazarovDaler Nazarov is a Tajik/Pamiri songwriter, singer and actor.Nazarov was born in the Former Soviet Republic of Tajikistan. He has lived in Dushanbe, the capital of Tajikistan for most of his life, but had to leave the country in the early 90's due to a civil war that ended around 1997...
, Tajik composer, in DushanbeDushanbe-Economy:Coal, lead, and arsenic are mined nearby in the cities of Nurek and Kulob allowing for the industrialization of Dushanbe. The Nurek Dam, the world's highest as of 2008, generates 95% of Tajikistan's electricity, and another dam, the Roghun Dam, is planned on the Vakhsh River...
, Tajik SSR, U.S.S.R.
September 9, 1959 (Wednesday)
- The final tests of the Atlas-D, the first ICBM, were conducted "in separate launches from opposite sides of the United States". At Cape CanaveralCape CanaveralCape Canaveral, from the Spanish Cabo Cañaveral, is a headland in Brevard County, Florida, United States, near the center of the state's Atlantic coast. Known as Cape Kennedy from 1963 to 1973, it lies east of Merritt Island, separated from it by the Banana River.It is part of a region known as the...
in FloridaFloridaFlorida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, Atlas missile number 10-D carried an unmanned Mercury capsule into space, and proved that the heat shield could protect humans from the heat from reentry. Missile number 12-D was launched successfully from Vandenberg Air Force BaseVandenberg Air Force BaseVandenberg Air Force Base is a United States Air Force Base, located approximately northwest of Lompoc, California. It is under the jurisdiction of the 30th Space Wing, Air Force Space Command ....
in CaliforniaCaliforniaCalifornia is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. - Born: Eric SerraEric SerraÉric Serra is a French composer. He has often worked on the movies of Luc Besson.- Biography :Éric Serra's father Claude was a famous French songwriter in the 1950s and '60s, and, as such, Éric was exposed to music and its production at a young age. His mother died when he was just seven years old...
, French composer of film scores (GoldenEyeGoldenEyeGoldenEye is the seventeenth spy film in the James Bond series, and the first to star Pierce Brosnan as the fictional MI6 agent James Bond. The film was directed by Martin Campbell and is the first film in the series not to take story elements from the works of novelist Ian Fleming...
) - Died: Collie SmithCollie SmithO'Neil Gordon 'Collie' Smith was a West Indian cricketer....
(O'Neill Gordon Smith), 26, Jamaican cricket star, in an auto accident
September 10, 1959 (Thursday)
- After 145 vetoes that stood, U.S. President Dwight D. EisenhowerDwight D. EisenhowerDwight David "Ike" Eisenhower was the 34th President of the United States, from 1953 until 1961. He was a five-star general in the United States Army...
was overridden by Congress for the first time as both houses got the necessary two-thirds majority. The President had vetoed a $1,185,309,093 public works bill. The vote in the House was 280–121, followed by a 72–23 vote in the Senate. - At Mountain Lake Park, MarylandMountain Lake Park, MarylandMountain Lake Park is a town in Garrett County, Maryland, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the town population was 2,248.-History:Mountain Lake Park Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983...
, seven children were killed when their school bus stalled on a railroad crossing and was struck by a freight train. The bus, with 26 on board, was on its way to Denett Road Elementary School in OaklandOakland, MarylandOakland is a town in the west-central part of Garrett County, Maryland, United States. With a population of 1,925 according to United States Census 2010 figures, it is the most populated community in Garrett County...
when the accident happened at
September 11, 1959 (Friday)
- Lee Harvey OswaldLee Harvey OswaldLee Harvey Oswald was, according to four government investigations,These were investigations by: the Federal Bureau of Investigation , the Warren Commission , the House Select Committee on Assassinations , and the Dallas Police Department. the sniper who assassinated John F...
was discharged from the United States Marines. - One day after a similar accident in Maryland, a train killed children on their way to school. Mrs. Irene Zimmerman and her six children were struck while on their way to Sacred Heart Parochial School in Waseca, MinnesotaWaseca, MinnesotaAs of the census of 2000, there were 8,493 people, 3,388 households, and 2,219 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,215.6 people per square mile . There were 3,563 housing units at an average density of 929.5 per square mile...
- Relief pitcher Elroy Face of the Pittsburgh PiratesPittsburgh PiratesThe Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
recorded his only loss in an 18–1 season, losing 5–4 to the Los Angeles DodgersLos Angeles DodgersThe Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
.
September 12, 1959 (Saturday)
- BonanzaBonanzaBonanza is an American western television series that both ran on and was a production of NBC from September 12, 1959 to January 16, 1973. Lasting 14 seasons and 430 episodes, it ranks as the second longest running western series and still continues to air in syndication. It centers on the...
appeared for the first time on American television, premiering at Eastern time on NBC. The Western, first to be broadcast in color, ran for 14 seasons and 440 episodes until January 16, 1973.
September 13, 1959 (Sunday)
- As astronomers in Europe watched, a man-made object landed on the Moon for the first time in the history of the Earth. The Soviet satellite Lunik 2 crashed near the Sea of Tranquility at 2202 GMT ( in New York, and Monday Moscow time). Astronomers on Earth were able to watch the results of the impact, which spread dust and debris over an area of 40 square kilometers over five minutes, in a radius of 3.5 km. The 800 pound metal sphere bore five-sided pieces stamped with the hammer and sickle.
- Born: Jean SmartJean SmartJean E. Smart is an American film, television, and stage actress. She is known for her comedic roles, one of the best known being her role as Charlene Frazier Stillfield on the CBS sitcom Designing Women. She later gained critical acclaim for dramatic work, with her portrayal of Martha Logan on 24...
, American TV actress (Designing WomenDesigning WomenDesigning Women is an American television sitcom that centered on the working and personal lives of four Southern women and one man in an interior design firm in Atlanta, Georgia. It aired on the CBS television network from September 29, 1986 until May 24, 1993. The show was created by head writer...
, Samantha Who?Samantha Who?Samantha Who? is an American television sitcom that originally aired on ABC from October 15, 2007 to July 23, 2009. The series was created by Cecelia Ahern and Don Todd, who also served as producers...
), in Seattle
September 14, 1959 (Monday)
- The Soviet Union announced the success of Lunik 2 on Moscow Radio with the words "Today, the 14th of September, at 00:02:24 Moscow time, the second Soviet cosmic rocket reached the surface of the moon. It is the first time in history that a cosmic flight has been made from the earth to another celestial body." Speaking at a news conference for the Soviet Academy of Sciences, Leonid Sedov emphsasized that the USSR had "no territorial claims whatsoever" on the Moon.
- For the first time, a radar signal was sent and the echo received from the planet Venus.
- The Landrum-Griffin Act was signed into law by President Eisenhower, after having passed the Senate 95–2 and the House 353–52
- Born: Morten HarketMorten HarketMorten Harket is a Norwegian musician, best known as the lead singer of the Norwegian synthpop/rock band A-ha, which released nine studio albums and topped the charts in several countries after their breakthrough hit "Take on Me" in 1985. A-ha disbanded in 2010. Harket has also released four solo...
, Norwegian lead singer for a-haA-haA-ha were a Norwegian pop band formed in Oslo in 1982. The band was founded by Morten Harket , Magne Furuholmen , and Pål Waaktaar...
, in KongsbergKongsbergis a town and municipality in Buskerud county, Norway. It is located at the southern end of the traditional region of Numedal. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Kongsberg....
*Born: Joseph R. Martinez jr. of Easton Pa.
September 15, 1959 (Tuesday)
- Soviet leader Nikita KhrushchevNikita KhrushchevNikita Sergeyevich Khrushchev led the Soviet Union during part of the Cold War. He served as First Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union from 1953 to 1964, and as Chairman of the Council of Ministers, or Premier, from 1958 to 1964...
arrived for an 11 day visit in the United States, landing at Andrews Air Force Base at - Poe Elementary School attackPoe Elementary School AttackThe Poe Elementary School attack was a school attack that occurred in Houston, Texas, United States on September 15, 1959. Six people, including the perpetrator, were killed.-Paul Orgeron and Dusty Paul:...
: At Houston's Edgar Allan Poe Elementary School, a man set off a suitcase bomb at a playground, killing himself, a teacher, a custodian, and three children, including his son. Nineteen other children and the principal were hospitalized. Paul Harold Orgeron had brought in his seven year old son minutes earlier to enroll him in the second grade. - TelevisionTelevisionTelevision is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
was introduced in India, with a station going on the air in DelhiDelhiDelhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
as a project of UNESCOUNESCOThe United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
. Initially, programming was limited to 60 minutes on Tuesdays and Fridays, with 40 minutes of education and 20 of entertainment, to be seen at community viewing centers (Tele Clubs) and schools. - At the Mayan site of Chichen ItzaChichen ItzaChichen Itza is a large pre-Columbian archaeological site built by the Maya civilization located in the northern center of the Yucatán Peninsula, in the Municipality of Tinúm, Yucatán state, present-day Mexico....
in Mexico, a local tour guide, José Humberto Gómez, discovered a false wall that concealed a network of caves that became an archaeological treasure trove of the Mayan civilization.
September 16, 1959 (Wednesday)
- At 8:00 p.m. Paris time, President Charles de GaulleCharles de GaulleCharles André Joseph Marie de Gaulle was a French general and statesman who led the Free French Forces during World War II. He later founded the French Fifth Republic in 1958 and served as its first President from 1959 to 1969....
went on television and radio in France and in its colony of AlgeriaAlgeriaAlgeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
. After five years of war, five billion dollars and more than 21,000 Frenchmen dead, the President said, "I deem it necessary that recourse to self-determination be here and now proclaimed." The options offered, to take place within four years after the end of fighting, would be "secession" (independence), francisation, with the Algerians becoming part of the French people, or "government of Algerians by Algerians, backed up by French help". - The first successful plain paper copying machine, the Xerox 914Xerox 914The Xerox 914 was the first successful commercial plain paper copier which in 1959 revolutionized the document-copying industry. The culmination of inventor Chester Carlson's work on the xerographic process, the 914 was fast and economical...
, was introduced at a show at the Sherry-Netherland Hotel in New York. - A federal court in Pennsylvania struck down as unconstitutional a 1928 law that required the reading of ten Bible verses each day in state schools in a caseAbington School District v. SchemppAbington Township School District v. Schempp , 374 U.S. 203 , was a United States Supreme Court case argued on February 27–28, 1963 and decided on June 17, 1963...
brought by Ellery SchemppEllery SchemppEllery Schempp is an accomplished physicist and is also famous for being the primary student involved in the landmark 1963 United States Supreme Court case of Abington School District v...
.
September 17, 1959 (Thursday)
- The North American X-15North American X-15The North American X-15 rocket-powered aircraft/spaceplane was part of the X-series of experimental aircraft, initiated with the Bell X-1, that were made for the USAAF/USAF, NACA/NASA, and the USN. The X-15 set speed and altitude records in the early 1960s, reaching the edge of outer space and...
jet fighter made its first powered flight, with test pilot Scott Crossfield guiding it. A B-52 bomber carried the X-15 to 38,000 feet over Edwards AFB, and Crossfield then launched to 50,000 feet. The X-15 could reach a maximum altitude of 67 miles, sufficient to put it into space although not into orbit. - The first navigation satellite, Transit 1A, was launched from Cape CanaveralCape CanaveralCape Canaveral, from the Spanish Cabo Cañaveral, is a headland in Brevard County, Florida, United States, near the center of the state's Atlantic coast. Known as Cape Kennedy from 1963 to 1973, it lies east of Merritt Island, separated from it by the Banana River.It is part of a region known as the...
, but failed to reach orbit when the third stage of a Thor-Able rocket failed. Transit 1B would be placed into orbit on April 13, 1960, and the launch of Transit 5A1 on December 19, 1962, was the first to become operational. Navigational satellites eventually paved the way for products based on GPS (global positioning system). - A British proposal for worldwide disarmament was presented to the United NationsUnited NationsThe United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
by Foreign Secretary Selwyn LloydSelwyn LloydJohn Selwyn Brooke Lloyd, Baron Selwyn-Lloyd CH PC CBE TD , known for most of his career as Selwyn Lloyd, was a British Conservative Party politician who served as Foreign Secretary from 1955 to 1960, then as Chancellor of the Exchequer until 1962...
. The three stage program called for an international control agency to oversee reduction of stockpiles of nuclear and other mass destruction weapons, and eventually reducing conventional weapons and manpower to levels required only for internal security. A Soviet proposal was presented by First Secretary Khrushchev the next day. - In China, Chairman Mao ZedongMao ZedongMao Zedong, also transliterated as Mao Tse-tung , and commonly referred to as Chairman Mao , was a Chinese Communist revolutionary, guerrilla warfare strategist, Marxist political philosopher, and leader of the Chinese Revolution...
issued a Special Pardon order for "the Manchukou war criminal Aisin-Gioro Pu Yi". PuyiPuyiPuyi , of the Manchu Aisin Gioro clan, was the last Emperor of China, and the twelfth and final ruler of the Qing Dynasty. He ruled as the Xuantong Emperor from 1908 until his abdication on 12 February 1912. From 1 to 12 July 1917 he was briefly restored to the throne as a nominal emperor by the...
had been the nominal Emperor of ChinaEmperor of ChinaThe Emperor of China refers to any sovereign of Imperial China reigning between the founding of Qin Dynasty of China, united by the King of Qin in 221 BCE, and the fall of Yuan Shikai's Empire of China in 1916. When referred to as the Son of Heaven , a title that predates the Qin unification, the...
during his childhood (1908–1912), and later had been installed by the Japanese as the puppet ruler for the state of ManchukuoManchukuoManchukuo or Manshū-koku was a puppet state in Manchuria and eastern Inner Mongolia, governed under a form of constitutional monarchy. The region was the historical homeland of the Manchus, who founded the Qing Empire in China...
. Pu Yi would be released on December 6, and lived until 1967. On the same day, China formally announced that Defense Minister Peng DehuaiPeng DehuaiPeng Dehuai was a prominent military leader of the Communist Party of China, and China's Defence Minister from 1954 to 1959. Peng was an important commander during the Second Sino-Japanese War, the Chinese civil war and was also the commander-in-chief of People's Volunteer Army in the Korean War...
had been removed from office and replaced by Lin BiaoLin BiaoLin Biao was a major Chinese Communist military leader who was pivotal in the communist victory in the Chinese Civil War, especially in Northeastern China...
.
September 18, 1959 (Friday)
- The jetwayJetwayA jet bridge is an enclosed, movable connector which extends from an airport terminal gate to an airplane, allowing passengers to board and disembark without having to go outside...
, the extending bridge that permits airline passengers to board directly from the terminal to the airplane door, was used by airline passengers for the first time. Installed on July 22 at the Atlanta airport by Delta Air Lines, the new device was inaugurated with the first commercial use of the Douglas DC-8Douglas DC-8The Douglas DC-8 is a four-engined narrow-body passenger commercial jet airliner, manufactured from 1958 to 1972 by the Douglas Aircraft Company...
, a competitor to the Boeing 707 began commercial air service. Both Delta United flew inaugural flights on the same day. - Soviet Premier Nikita KhrushchevNikita KhrushchevNikita Sergeyevich Khrushchev led the Soviet Union during part of the Cold War. He served as First Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union from 1953 to 1964, and as Chairman of the Council of Ministers, or Premier, from 1958 to 1964...
spoke at the United NationsUnited NationsThe United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
in New York to outline a proposed four year disarmament plan. The Soviet presentation was more drastic than the British of the day before, calling for initial reduction of the armed forces of the USSR, US and China to members, followed by liquidation of all foreign military bases, and eventually destruction of all nuclear, chemical and bacteriological weapons and rockets. - Serial killer Harvey Glatman, who posed as a photographer and lured his victims through classified ads, was executed in California's gas chamberGas chamberA gas chamber is an apparatus for killing humans or animals with gas, consisting of a sealed chamber into which a poisonous or asphyxiant gas is introduced. The most commonly used poisonous agent is hydrogen cyanide; carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide have also been used...
. - Memphis State University (now the University of MemphisUniversity of MemphisThe University of Memphis is an American public research university located in the Normal Station neighborhood of Memphis, Tennessee and is the flagship public research university of the Tennessee Board of Regents system....
) admitted its first black students. The "Memphis State 8" began classes without incident, but were restricted from "white" areas of the campus. - Born: Sérgio BrittoSérgio BrittoSérgio Britto is a Brazilian musician. He is best known as the keyboardist and vocalist for the band Titãs, and also for his solo albums, in which he played the acoustic guitar...
, Brazilian singer and keyboardist, in Rio de JaneiroRio de JaneiroRio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...
September 19, 1959 (Saturday)
- The most memorable portion of Nikita KhrushchevNikita KhrushchevNikita Sergeyevich Khrushchev led the Soviet Union during part of the Cold War. He served as First Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union from 1953 to 1964, and as Chairman of the Council of Ministers, or Premier, from 1958 to 1964...
's 11-day tour of the United States was his stop in Los Angeles. The Soviet leader was outraged by a speech made by L.A. Mayor Norris PoulsonNorris PoulsonC. Norris Poulson served as the 36th Mayor of Los Angeles, California from 1953 to 1961, after having been a California State Assemblyman and then a member of the United States Congress for eight years...
at a banquet, offended by a performance of can-canCan-canThe can-can is a high-energy and physically demanding music hall dance, traditionally performed by a chorus line of female dancers who wear costumes with long skirts, petticoats, and black stockings...
dancers, and annoyed that he would not be allowed to visit Disneyland. Khrushchev complained at a Hollywood reception, "I asked 'Why not? What do you have there-- rocket launch pads?'" After Poulson's speech, Khrushchev responded, "I can just go, and one never knows whether another head of a Soviet government will ever visit this country." Days later, Khrushchev calmed down, blaming the Disneyland cancellation on legitimate security concerns, and saying of Poulson, "Perhaps he got out of the wrong side of the bed."
September 20, 1959 (Sunday)
- General Nadhim Tabaqchali and 18 other Iraqi officers were executed by a firing squad for their role in the March 1959 Mosul uprising.
September 21, 1959 (Monday)
- The Ford Falcon was introduced in a closed-circuit TV press conference. The automobile was produced until January 1, 1970. On the same day, the first Plymouth Valiant came off of the assembly line at the Chrysler plant in Hamtramck, Michigan.
- Public Law 86-341 was enacted, "An act to extend Agricultural Trade Development and Assistance Act of 1954, and for other purposes". The "other purposes" included in the amendment to a law regarding the export of surplus farm goods included a law authorizing the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture to operate a food stamp program. The first use of Food Stamps came on May 29, 1961.
- Born: Dave CoulierDave CoulierDavid Alan "Dave" Coulier is an American stand-up comedian, impressionist, television and voice actor, and television host. He is well-known for his role as Joey Gladstone on the ABC sitcom Full House, which ran from 1987 to 1995....
, American comedian; "Joey Gladstone" in TV's Full HouseFull HouseFull House is an American sitcom television series. Set in San Francisco, the show chronicles widowed father Danny Tanner, who, after the death of his wife, enlists his best friend Joey Gladstone and his brother-in-law Jesse Katsopolis to help raise his three daughters, D.J., Stephanie, and...
, in Detroit; Stan Van GundyStan Van GundyStanley A. "Stan" Van Gundy is the head coach of the National Basketball Association's Orlando Magic. From 2003 to 2005, he was the head coach of the Miami Heat but resigned in 2005 mid-season, turning the job over to Pat Riley...
, NBA coach (Orlando MagicOrlando MagicThe Orlando Magic is a professional basketball team based in Orlando, Florida. They play in the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association and are currently coached by Stan Van Gundy...
), in Indio, CaliforniaIndio, CaliforniaIndio is a city in Riverside County, California, United States, located in the Coachella Valley of Southern California's Colorado Desert region. It lies east of Palm Springs, east of Riverside, and east of Los Angeles. It is about north of Mexicali, Baja California on the U.S.-Mexican border... - Died: Abraham FlexnerAbraham FlexnerAbraham Flexner was an American educator. His Flexner Report, published in 1910, reformed medical education in the United States...
, 92, American educator and reformer (b. 1866)
September 22, 1959 (Tuesday)
- The , the second American ballistic missile submarine, was launched in Groton, Connecticut. The wife of Illinois congressman Leslie C. Arends smashed the bottle of champagne on the prow of the Polaris submarine in a ceremony before 20,000 people. The first ballistic sub, the , had been launched on June 9June 1959January – February – March – April – May – June – July – August – September – October – November – DecemberThe following events occurred in June 1959.-June 1, 1959 :...
. - The Chicago White SoxChicago White SoxThe Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
won the American LeagueAmerican LeagueThe American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
pennant for the first time in 40 years with a 4–2 victory over the second place Cleveland IndiansCleveland IndiansThe Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
. Air raid sirens were sounded at 10:30 on authorization by Chicago Fire Commissioner Robert Quinn. At least one-third of Chicagoans surveyed later said that they thought that the sirens were a warning of an impendent attack. - The Havana Sugar KingsHavana Sugar KingsThe Havana Sugar Kings were a Cuban-based minor league baseball team that played in the Class AAA International League from 1954 to 1960 . They were affiliated with Major League Baseball's Cincinnati Reds, and their home stadium was El Gran Estadio del Cerro in Havana, Cuba.-History:The Sugar...
beat the Richmond Virginians to win the championship of baseball's AAA International LeagueInternational LeagueThe International League is a minor league baseball league that operates in the eastern United States. Like the Pacific Coast League and the Mexican League, it plays at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball. It was so named because it had teams in both the United States...
before 13,021 fans, including Cuban leader Fidel CastroFidel CastroFidel Alejandro Castro Ruz is a Cuban revolutionary and politician, having held the position of Prime Minister of Cuba from 1959 to 1976, and then President from 1976 to 2008. He also served as the First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba from the party's foundation in 1961 until 2011...
. The Havana team was moved to Jersey City, New Jersey, at the end of the season.
September 23, 1959 (Wednesday)
- Walter E. Munford, the President of United States Steel, was fatally injured while putting away kitchen utensils at his summer home in Chatham, MassachusettsChatham, MassachusettsChatham is a town in Barnstable County, Massachusetts, United States, Barnstable County being coextensive with Cape Cod. The population was 6,625 at the 2000 census...
. Munford, exhausted from the ongoing steelworkers strike, slipped on the waxed kitchen floor and a paring knife in his hand cut 3 inches deep into his abdomen. Complications from the wound contributed to his death five days later. - After visits to Washington, D.C., New YorkNew YorkNew York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, Los Angeles and San Francisco, Soviet Premier Nikita KhrushchevNikita KhrushchevNikita Sergeyevich Khrushchev led the Soviet Union during part of the Cold War. He served as First Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union from 1953 to 1964, and as Chairman of the Council of Ministers, or Premier, from 1958 to 1964...
visited Coon Rapids, IowaCoon Rapids, IowaCoon Rapids is a city in Carroll and Guthrie counties in the U.S. state of Iowa. The population was 1,305 at the 2010 census unchanged from the 2000 census. The small portion of Coon Rapids that lies in Guthrie County is part of the Des Moines–West Des Moines Metropolitan Statistical...
and had dinner at the farm of Roswell "Bob" Garst.
September 24, 1959 (Thursday)
- In the race to be the first to photograph the dark side of the Moon, the United States suffered a setback when the Atlas-Able rocket exploded on the launch pad during tests. The rocket was being readied for an October 3 launch, when the Moon would be within 219,000 miles of the Earth, and would have carried a satellite into lunar orbit, and the explosion pushed the launch back to November. The Soviet probe Lunik 3 launched on October 4 and photographed the far side two days later.
September 25, 1959 (Friday)
- Died: S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike, 60, the Prime Minister of CeylonPrime Minister of Sri LankaThe Prime Minister of Sri Lanka is the functional head of the Cabinet of Sri Lanka. However, the President is both head of state and head of government in Sri Lanka...
(now Sri LankaSri LankaSri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
), was fatally shot outside his home in ColomboColomboColombo is the largest city of Sri Lanka. It is located on the west coast of the island and adjacent to Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte, the capital of Sri Lanka. Colombo is often referred to as the capital of the country, since Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte is a satellite city of Colombo...
, by Buddhist priest Talduwe SomaramaTalduwe SomaramaTalduwe Ratugama Rallage Weris Singho better known as Talduwe Somarama was a Sri Lankan Sinhalese Buddhist monk who shot and killed Solomon Bandaranaike, the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka in 1959...
. Bandaranaike died the next day and was succeeded by Wijeyananda DahanayakeWijeyananda DahanayakeWijeyananda Dahanayake was a Sri Lankan political figure. He was the Prime Minister of Ceylon from 1959 to 1960.-Early Life:...
. Somarama was hanged in 1962.
September 26, 1959 (Saturday)
- The "Isewan Typhoon" also known as Typhoon Vera struck Nagoya, bringing a 17 foot high wave and 160 mph winds, and then moved across Japan. The strongest storm ever recorded in Japan killed more than 5,000 people, injuring over 32,000 and leaving people homeless.
- Unable to persuade businesses to spend thousands of dollars to buy its copy machines, the Haloid Xerox CompanyXeroxXerox Corporation is an American multinational document management corporation that produced and sells a range of color and black-and-white printers, multifunction systems, photo copiers, digital production printing presses, and related consulting services and supplies...
introduced a leasing program that would become a model followed by other businesses. The $95 per month lease could be cancelled on 15 days notice, and included repairs and 2,000 copies each month, 4¢ per copy afterward. Created by the consulting firm of Arthur D. LittleArthur D. LittleArthur D. Little is an international management consulting firm originally headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, United States, and formally incorporated by that name in 1909 by Arthur Dehon Little, an MIT chemist who had discovered acetate. Arthur D. Little pioneered the concept of contracted...
and Associates, the program increased Xerox annual revenues from to by 1972.
September 27, 1959 (Sunday)
- Nikita KhrushchevNikita KhrushchevNikita Sergeyevich Khrushchev led the Soviet Union during part of the Cold War. He served as First Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union from 1953 to 1964, and as Chairman of the Council of Ministers, or Premier, from 1958 to 1964...
and Dwight D. EisenhowerDwight D. EisenhowerDwight David "Ike" Eisenhower was the 34th President of the United States, from 1953 until 1961. He was a five-star general in the United States Army...
held their final conversations, including points for Khrushchev to deliver later in the week to Mao ZedongMao ZedongMao Zedong, also transliterated as Mao Tse-tung , and commonly referred to as Chairman Mao , was a Chinese Communist revolutionary, guerrilla warfare strategist, Marxist political philosopher, and leader of the Chinese Revolution...
in China. Khrushchev returned to the Soviet Union the next day, and then flew the day after to BeijingBeijingBeijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
. - The Los Angeles DodgersLos Angeles DodgersThe Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
and the Milwaukee Braves finished tied for first place in the National LeagueNational LeagueThe National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
, with identical 86–68 records. - Vince LombardiVince LombardiVincent Thomas "Vince" Lombardi was an American football coach. He is best known as the head coach of the Green Bay Packers during the 1960s, where he led the team to three straight league championships and five in seven years, including winning the first two Super Bowls following the 1966 and...
made his NFL coaching debut in guiding the Green Bay PackersGreen Bay PackersThe Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
to a 9–6 upset of the Chicago BearsChicago BearsThe Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
. The Packers had a 1–10–1 record in 1958, finished 7–5–0 in Lombardi's first year, and reached the NFL title game the year after.
September 28, 1959 (Monday)
- The Quick Draw McGraw Show was first broadcast, as a cartoon syndicated by Hanna-BarberaHanna-BarberaHanna-Barbera Productions, Inc. was an American animation studio that dominated North American television animation during the second half of the 20th century...
, and introduced several well-known characters, along with the "guitar smash" sound effect. The three segments spoofed Westerns (Quick Draw McGraw and Baba Looey), detective shows (Super Snooper and Blabbermouse), and family shows (Augie Doggie and Doggy Daddy). - Rochester CollegeRochester CollegeRochester College is a four-year, liberal arts college located in Rochester Hills, Michigan. The college was founded by members of Churches of Christ in 1959. Total enrollment for the fall 2011 semester is 1,084 students....
(formerly North Central Christian College and Michigan Christian Junior College) began its first classes. The private 4-year college is located in Rochester Hills, Michigan. - Died: Rudolf CaracciolaRudolf CaracciolaOtto Wilhelm Rudolf Caracciola , more commonly Rudolf Caracciola , was a racing driver from Remagen, Germany. He won the European Drivers' Championship, the pre-1950 equivalent of the modern Formula One World Championship, an unsurpassed three times...
, 58 German race car driver and Grand Prix champion
September 29, 1959 (Tuesday)
- The Brunei Constitution and Agreement of 1959 gave the British colony of BruneiBruneiBrunei , officially the State of Brunei Darussalam or the Nation of Brunei, the Abode of Peace , is a sovereign state located on the north coast of the island of Borneo, in Southeast Asia...
its first written Constitution and protectorate status. Great Britain was given complete control of the external affairs of the South Pacific nation, while the Sultan, Omar Ali Saifuddin III, presided over an Executive Council. Brunei became fully independent in 1984. - Braniff Airlines Flight 542 from Houston to Washington broke apart at CST while at an altitude of 15,000 feet, killing all 32 people on board. The Lockheed L-188 ElectraLockheed L-188 ElectraThe Lockheed Model 188 Electra is an American turboprop airliner built by Lockheed. First flying in 1957, it was the first large turboprop airliner produced in the United States. Initial sales were good, but after two fatal crashes which prompted an expensive modification program to fix a design...
had lost a wing from structural failure. Another Electra, Northwest Flight 710, would lose a wing and crash on March 17, 1960. - The Dodgers beat the Braves 6–5 to win a playoff for the National League pennant, and advanced to the World Series.
- Born: Benjamin SeheneBenjamin SeheneBenjamin Sehene is a Rwandan author whose work primarily focuses on questions of identity and the events surrounding the Rwandan genocide. He has spent much of life in Canada and France....
, Rwandan author
September 30, 1959 (Wednesday)
- Three days after departing the United States, where he had met with President Dwight D. EisenhowerDwight D. EisenhowerDwight David "Ike" Eisenhower was the 34th President of the United States, from 1953 until 1961. He was a five-star general in the United States Army...
, Soviet Premier Nikita KhrushchevNikita KhrushchevNikita Sergeyevich Khrushchev led the Soviet Union during part of the Cold War. He served as First Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union from 1953 to 1964, and as Chairman of the Council of Ministers, or Premier, from 1958 to 1964...
began talks with China's Chairman Mao ZedongMao ZedongMao Zedong, also transliterated as Mao Tse-tung , and commonly referred to as Chairman Mao , was a Chinese Communist revolutionary, guerrilla warfare strategist, Marxist political philosopher, and leader of the Chinese Revolution...
in BeijingBeijingBeijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
. - President Eisenhower hosted with leaders of U.S. Steel, Bethlehem Steel and Inland Steel at the White House, followed by officials of the United Steel Workers and set a deadline of October 8 for labor and management to settle the nationwide steel strike. Eisenhower
- Born: Ettore MessinaEttore MessinaEttore Messina is an Italian professional basketball coach currently working as a consultant for Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association. He has won 4 Euroleague championships as a head coach...
, Italian pro basketball coach for Virtus BolognaVirtus Bologna-Notable players: Marco Bonamico 9 seasons: '75-'76, '77-'78, '80-'86, '88-'89 Carlo Caglieris 6 seasons: '75-'81 Pietro Generali 6 seasons: '75-'76, '78-'83 Gianni Bertolotti 5 seasons: '75-'80 Terry Driscoll 3 seasons: '75-'78 Eric Luc Leclerc 1 season: '75-'76 Luigi Serafini 2 seasons: '75-'77...
and CSKA MoscowPBC CSKA MoscowPBC CSKA Moscow is a Russian professional basketball team that is based in Moscow, Russia. The club is a member of the VTB United League. It is often referred to in the West as "Red Army" for its past affiliation with the Soviet Army. CSKA has won two titles between 2006 and 2009 in Europe's...
, in Catania, Sicily - Died: Sid Richardson, 68, bachelor philanthropist and Texas oil multimillionaire