Explore 1426 historical events from 1950–1959.
SS Ideal X, a converted World War II T-2 oil tanker, was the first commercially successful container ship.
SS Ideal X, the world's first successful container ship, leaves Port Newark, New Jersey, for Houston, Texas
Alben William Barkley was an American lawyer and politician from Kentucky who served as the 35th vice president of the United States from 1949 to 1953 under President Harry S. Trum…
Former Vice President and Democratic Senator Alben Barkley dies during a speech in Virginia
Polio vaccine is a vaccine used to prevent poliomyelitis (polio). Two types are used: an inactivated poliovirus given by injection (IPV) and a weakened poliovirus given by mouth (O…
The polio vaccine developed by Jonas Salk is made available to the public
David McDowell Brown was a United States Navy captain and NASA astronaut. He died on his first spaceflight, when the Space Shuttle Columbia (STS-107) disintegrated during orbital r…
David M
Terry "T" Lavitz was an American keyboardist, composer, and producer. He is best known for his work with the Dixie Dregs and Jazz Is Dead.
T Lavitz, American keyboard player, composer, and producer (died 2010)
Operation Redwing was a United States series of 17 nuclear test detonations from May to July 1956. They were conducted at Bikini and Enewetak atolls by Joint Task Force 7 (JTF7). T…
In Operation Redwing, the first United States airborne hydrogen bomb is dropped over Bikini Atoll in the Pacific Ocean
The Eurovision Song Contest (ESC), often known simply as Eurovision, is an international song competition organised annually by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) since 1956. Ea…
The first Eurovision Song Contest is held in Lugano, Switzerland
Elvis Aaron Presley was an American singer and actor. Referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll", he is widely regarded as one of the most culturally significant figures of the 20t…
Elvis Presley introduces his new single, "Hound Dog", on The Milton Berle Show, scandalizing the audience with his sugge
The 1956 anti-Tamil pogrom, also known as the Gal Oya riots, was the first organised pogrom against Sri Lankan Tamils in the Dominion of Ceylon. It began with anti-Tamil rioting in…
Start of Gal Oya riots, the first reported ethnic riots that target minority Sri Lankan Tamils in the Eastern Province
Venezuela, officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, is a country on the northern coast of South America, consisting of a continental landmass and various islands and islets…
A Venezuelan Super-Constellation crashes in the Atlantic Ocean off Asbury Park, New Jersey, killing 74 people
Lise-Marie Morerod is a Swiss former slalom skier. In 1977, she was women's overall season champion.
Lise-Marie Morerod, Swiss skier
Colin Jack Tyre, Lord Tyre, is a Scottish lawyer, former President of the Council of Bars and Law Societies of Europe, and a Senator of the College of Justice, a judge of the Supre…
Colin Tyre, Lord Tyre, Scottish lawyer and judge
Dame Lesley Anne Glover is a Scottish biologist and academic. She was Professor of molecular biology and cell biology at the University of Aberdeen before being named Vice Principa…
Anne Glover, Scottish biologist and academic
Eva Carin Beatrice Ask is a Swedish politician and a member of the Moderate Party. She served as Governor of Södermanland County from 1 January 2020 to 31 March 2025.
Beatrice Ask, Swedish politician, Swedish Minister for Justice
Peter Chelsom is a British film director, writer, and actor. He has directed such films as Hector and the Search for Happiness, Serendipity, and Shall We Dance? Peter Chelsom is a …
Peter Chelsom, English film director, writer, and actor
Kakha Bendukidze was a Georgian statesman, businessman and philanthropist, founder of the Knowledge Foundation and head of the supervisory board of Agricultural and Free Universiti…
Kakha Bendukidze, Georgian economist and politician (died 2014)
Peter Kosminsky is a British writer, director and producer. He has directed Hollywood movies such as White Oleander and television films like Warriors, The Government Inspector, Th…
Peter Kosminsky, English director, producer, and screenwriter
Phillip Longman is an American demographer. Presently he is a Schwartz Senior Fellow at the New America Foundation, and he formerly worked as a senior writer and deputy assistant m…
Phillip Longman, German-American demographer and journalist
James Alexander "Sandy" Winnefeld Jr. is a retired United States Navy admiral who served as the chair of the President's Intelligence Advisory Board. While on active duty, Winnefel…
James A
Dominique Blanc is a French actress. She is known for her roles in the films May Fools (1990), Indochine (1992), La Reine Margot (1994), Those Who Love Me Can Take the Train (1998)…
Dominique Blanc, French actress, director, and screenwriter
Abdalla Uba Adamu is a Nigerian academic, educator, publisher, filmmaker, ethnomusicologist, media scholar and former vice-chancellor of National Open University of Nigeria. He hol…
Abdalla Uba Adamu, Nigerian professor, media scholar
Kathleen Norris "Koo" Stark is an American photographer and actress, known for her relationship with Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and her roles in erotic films. She is a patron of th…
Koo Stark, American actress and photographer
Bryan Taber Harvey was an American musician noted for his fronting role in House of Freaks.
Bryan Harvey, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (died 2006)
James Dixon Barnes is an Australian rock singer. His career, both as a solo performer and as the lead vocalist with the rock band Cold Chisel, has made him one of the most popular …
Jimmy Barnes, Scottish-Australian singer-songwriter and guitarist