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January

*
January 1 January 1 is the first day of the calendar year in the Gregorian Calendar; 364 days remain until the end of the year (365 in leap years). This day is also known as New Year's Day since the day marks the beginning of the year. __TOC__ Events ...
Cuba Cuba, officially the Republic of Cuba, is an island country, comprising the island of Cuba (largest island), Isla de la Juventud, and List of islands of Cuba, 4,195 islands, islets and cays surrounding the main island. It is located where the ...
: Fulgencio Batista flees
Havana Havana (; ) is the capital and largest city of Cuba. The heart of La Habana Province, Havana is the country's main port and commercial center.Fidel Castro Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz (13 August 1926 – 25 November 2016) was a Cuban politician and revolutionary who was the leader of Cuba from 1959 to 2008, serving as the prime minister of Cuba from 1959 to 1976 and President of Cuba, president ...
advance. *
January 2 Events Pre-1600 * 69 – The Roman legions in Germania Superior refuse to swear loyalty to Galba. They rebel and proclaim Vitellius as emperor. * 366 – The Alemanni cross the frozen Rhine in large numbers, invading the Roman Emp ...
– Soviet lunar probe Luna 1 is the first human-made object to attain escape velocity from Earth. It reaches the vicinity of Earth's
Moon The Moon is Earth's only natural satellite. It Orbit of the Moon, orbits around Earth at Lunar distance, an average distance of (; about 30 times Earth diameter, Earth's diameter). The Moon rotation, rotates, with a rotation period (lunar ...
, where it was intended to crash-land, but instead becomes the first spacecraft to go into heliocentric orbit. *
January 3 Events Pre-1600 *AD 69, 69 – The Roman legions on the Rhine refuse to declare their allegiance to Galba, instead proclaiming their legate, Aulus Vitellius, as emperor. * 250 – Emperor Decius orders everyone in the Roman Empire (ex ...
**
Alaska Alaska ( ) is a non-contiguous U.S. state on the northwest extremity of North America. Part of the Western United States region, it is one of the two non-contiguous U.S. states, alongside Hawaii. Alaska is also considered to be the north ...
is admitted as the 49th U.S. state. ** The southernmost island of the
Maldives The Maldives, officially the Republic of Maldives, and historically known as the Maldive Islands, is an Archipelagic state, archipelagic country in South Asia located in the Indian Ocean. The Maldives is southwest of Sri Lanka and India, abou ...
archipelago An archipelago ( ), sometimes called an island group or island chain, is a chain, cluster, or collection of islands. An archipelago may be in an ocean, a sea, or a smaller body of water. Example archipelagos include the Aegean Islands (the o ...
, Addu Atoll, declares its independence from the Kingdom of the Maldives, initiating the United Suvadive Republic. *
January 4 Events Pre-1600 *46 BC – Julius Caesar fights Titus Labienus in the Battle of Ruspina. * 871 – Battle of Reading (871), Battle of Reading: Æthelred of Wessex and his brother Alfred the Great, Alfred are defeated by a Danish invasi ...
** In
Cuba Cuba, officially the Republic of Cuba, is an island country, comprising the island of Cuba (largest island), Isla de la Juventud, and List of islands of Cuba, 4,195 islands, islets and cays surrounding the main island. It is located where the ...
, rebel troops led by Che Guevara and Camilo Cienfuegos enter the city of
Havana Havana (; ) is the capital and largest city of Cuba. The heart of La Habana Province, Havana is the country's main port and commercial center.Léopoldville riots: At least 49 people are killed during clashes between the police and participants of a meeting of the ABAKO Party in Léopoldville in the Belgian Congo. *
January 6 Events Pre-1600 * 1066 – Following the death of Edward the Confessor on the previous day, the Witan meets to confirm Harold Godwinson as the new King of England; Harold is crowned the same day, sparking a succession crisis that will ...
– The
International Maritime Organization The International Maritime Organization (IMO; ; ) is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for regulating maritime transport. The IMO was established following agreement at a ...
is inaugurated. *
January 7 Events Pre-1600 *49 BC – The Senate of the Roman Republic, Senate of Rome says that Caesar will be declared a public enemy unless he disbands his army, prompting the tribunes who support him to flee to where Caesar is waiting in Ravenna ...
– The United States recognizes the new
Cuba Cuba, officially the Republic of Cuba, is an island country, comprising the island of Cuba (largest island), Isla de la Juventud, and List of islands of Cuba, 4,195 islands, islets and cays surrounding the main island. It is located where the ...
n government of
Fidel Castro Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz (13 August 1926 – 25 November 2016) was a Cuban politician and revolutionary who was the leader of Cuba from 1959 to 2008, serving as the prime minister of Cuba from 1959 to 1976 and President of Cuba, president ...
. *
January 8 Events Pre-1600 * 307 – Emperor Huai of Jin, Sima Chi becomes emperor of the Jin dynasty (266–420), Jin dynasty in succession to his brother, Emperor Hui of Jin, Sima Zhong, despite a challenge from his other brother, Sima Ying. * 871 ...
Charles de Gaulle is inaugurated as the first president of the French Fifth Republic. *
January 9 Events Pre-1600 * 681 – Twelfth Council of Toledo: King Erwig of the Visigoths initiates a council in which he implements diverse measures against the Jews in Spain. * 1038 – An earthquake in Dingxiang, China kills an estimate ...
– The Vega de Tera disaster in Spain, a flood caused by a dam collapse, nearly destroys the town of Ribadelago and kills 144 residents. *
January 10 Events Pre-1600 *49 BC – Julius Caesar crosses the Rubicon, signalling the start of civil war. * 9 – The Western Han dynasty ends when Wang Mang claims that the divine Mandate of Heaven called for the end of the dynasty and th ...
– The Soviet government recognizes the new Castro government of Cuba. *
January 11 Events Pre-1600 * 532 – Nika riots in Constantinople: A quarrel between supporters of different chariot teams—the Blues and the Greens—in the Hippodrome escalates into violence. * 630 – Conquest of Mecca: Muhammad and his ...
– The Confédération Mondiale des Activités Subaquatiques is founded in Monaco. *
January 12 Events Pre-1600 * 475 – List of Byzantine emperors, Byzantine Emperor Zeno (emperor), Zeno is forced to flee his capital at Constantinople, and his general, Basiliscus gains control of the empire. *1528 – Gustav I of Sweden is crow ...
– The Motown record label is founded as Tamla by Berry Gordy in
Detroit Detroit ( , ) is the List of municipalities in Michigan, most populous city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is situated on the bank of the Detroit River across from Windsor, Ontario. It had a population of 639,111 at the 2020 United State ...
. *
January 15 Events Pre-1600 *AD 69, 69 – Otho seizes power in Rome, proclaiming himself Roman emperor, Emperor of Rome, beginning a reign of only three months. *1541 – King Francis I of France gives Jean-François Roberval a commission to set ...
– The
Soviet Union The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...
conducts its first census after
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
. *
January 21 Events Pre-1600 * 763 – Following the Battle of Bakhamra between Alids and Abbasids near Kufa, the Alid rebellion ends with the death of Ibrahim, brother of Isa ibn Musa. * 1525 – The Swiss Anabaptist Movement is founded wh ...
– The
European Court of Human Rights The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR), also known as the Strasbourg Court, is an international court of the Council of Europe which interprets the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). The court hears applications alleging that a co ...
is established. *
January 22 Events Pre-1600 * 613 – Eight-month-old Heraclius Constantine is crowned as co-emperor ('' Caesar'') by his father Heraclius at Constantinople. * 871 – Battle of Basing: The West Saxons led by King Æthelred I are defeated b ...
Knox Mine disaster: Water breaches the River Slope Mine in Port Griffith, near Pittston, Pennsylvania, United States; 12 miners are killed. *
January 25 Events Pre-1600 * 41 – After a night of negotiation, Claudius is accepted as Roman emperor by the Senate. * 750 – In the Battle of the Zab, the Abbasid rebels defeat the Umayyad Caliphate, leading to the overthrow of the dyn ...
** American Airlines begins the first U.S. domestic jet service with a Boeing 707 airliner flight between New York and
Los Angeles Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...
. ** Pope John XXIII announces that the Second Vatican Council will be convened in Rome. *
January 30 Events Pre-1600 * 1018 – Poland and the Holy Roman Empire conclude the Peace of Bautzen. * 1287 – King Wareru founds the Hanthawaddy Kingdom, and proclaims independence from the Pagan Kingdom. 1601–1900 * 1607 – An es ...
– Danish passenger/cargo ship , returning to
Copenhagen Copenhagen ( ) is the capital and most populous city of Denmark, with a population of 1.4 million in the Urban area of Copenhagen, urban area. The city is situated on the islands of Zealand and Amager, separated from Malmö, Sweden, by the ...
after its maiden voyage to
Greenland Greenland is an autonomous territory in the Danish Realm, Kingdom of Denmark. It is by far the largest geographically of three constituent parts of the kingdom; the other two are metropolitan Denmark and the Faroe Islands. Citizens of Greenlan ...
, strikes an iceberg and sinks off the Greenland coast with the loss of all 95 on board.


February

170px, February 17: Technical drawing of Vanguard 2">February 17: Technical drawing of Vanguard 2 * February 2">Vanguard 2 ">Vanguard 2">February 17: Technical drawing of Vanguard 2 * February 2 – Nine ski hikers mysteriously perish in the northern Ural Mountains in the Dyatlov Pass incident and are all found dead a few weeks later. * February 3 ** A chartered plane transporting musicians Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and The Big Bopper with pilot Roger Peterson goes down in foggy conditions near Clear Lake, Iowa, killing all four on board. The tragedy is later termed " The Day the Music Died", popularized in Don McLean's
1971 * The year 1971 had three partial solar eclipses (Solar eclipse of February 25, 1971, February 25, Solar eclipse of July 22, 1971, July 22 and Solar eclipse of August 20, 1971, August 20) and two total lunar eclipses (February 1971 lunar eclip ...
song " American Pie". ** American Airlines Flight 320, a Lockheed L-188 Electra from Chicago crashes into the East River on approach to New York City's LaGuardia Airport, killing 65 of the 73 people on board. *
February 6 Events Pre-1600 * 590 – Hormizd IV, king of the Sasanian Empire, is overthrown and blinded by his brothers-in-law Vistahm and Vinduyih. * 1579 – The Diocese of Manila is erected by papal bull, with Domingo de Salazar appointe ...
– At Cape Canaveral, Florida, the first successful test firing of a Titan intercontinental ballistic missile is accomplished. *
February 9 Events Pre-1600 * 474 – Zeno (emperor), Zeno is crowned as co-emperor of the Byzantine Empire, Eastern Roman Empire *1003 – Boleslaus III, Duke of Bohemia, Boleslaus III is restored to authority with armed support from Bolesław I ...
Yugoslavia , common_name = Yugoslavia , life_span = 1918–19921941–1945: World War II in Yugoslavia#Axis invasion and dismemberment of Yugoslavia, Axis occupation , p1 = Kingdom of SerbiaSerbia , flag_p ...
and
Spain Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...
set trade relations (not diplomatic ones). *
February 13 Events Pre-1600 * 962 – Emperor Otto I, Holy Roman Emperor, Otto I and Pope Pope John XII, John XII co-sign the ''Diploma Ottonianum'', recognizing John as ruler of Rome. *1258 – Siege of Baghdad (1258), Siege of Baghdad: Hulegu Kh ...
TAT-2,
AT&T AT&T Inc., an abbreviation for its predecessor's former name, the American Telephone and Telegraph Company, is an American multinational telecommunications holding company headquartered at Whitacre Tower in Downtown Dallas, Texas. It is the w ...
's second transatlantic telephone cable goes into operation between Newfoundland and France. *
February 16 Events Pre-1600 * 1249 – Andrew of Longjumeau is dispatched by Louis IX of France as his ambassador to meet with the Khagan of the Mongol Empire. * 1270 – The Grand Duchy of Lithuania defeats the Livonian Order in the Battl ...
Fidel Castro Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz (13 August 1926 – 25 November 2016) was a Cuban politician and revolutionary who was the leader of Cuba from 1959 to 2008, serving as the prime minister of Cuba from 1959 to 1976 and President of Cuba, president ...
becomes Premier of
Cuba Cuba, officially the Republic of Cuba, is an island country, comprising the island of Cuba (largest island), Isla de la Juventud, and List of islands of Cuba, 4,195 islands, islets and cays surrounding the main island. It is located where the ...
. * February 17Vanguard 2, the first weather satellite, is launched to measure cloud cover for the
United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the naval warfare, maritime military branch, service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is the world's most powerful navy with the largest Displacement (ship), displacement, at 4.5 millio ...
. * February 18 ** Jesús Sosa Blanco, a colonel in the Cuban army of Fulgencio Batista, is executed in
Cuba Cuba, officially the Republic of Cuba, is an island country, comprising the island of Cuba (largest island), Isla de la Juventud, and List of islands of Cuba, 4,195 islands, islets and cays surrounding the main island. It is located where the ...
after being convicted of committing 108 murders for Batista. ** Women in
Nepal Nepal, officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked country in South Asia. It is mainly situated in the Himalayas, but also includes parts of the Indo-Gangetic Plain. It borders the Tibet Autonomous Region of China Ch ...
vote for the first time. *
February 19 Events Pre-1600 * 197 – Emperor Septimius Severus defeats Roman usurper, usurper Clodius Albinus in the Battle of Lugdunum, the bloodiest battle between Roman armies. * 356 – The anti-paganism policy of Constantius II forbids the w ...
– First of the London and Zürich Agreements under which the United Kingdom agrees to grant independence to
Cyprus Cyprus (), officially the Republic of Cyprus, is an island country in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Situated in West Asia, its cultural identity and geopolitical orientation are overwhelmingly Southeast European. Cyprus is the List of isl ...
. *
February 20 Events Pre-1600 *1339 – The Milanese army and the St. George's (San Giorgio) Mercenaries of Lodrisio Visconti clash in the Battle of Parabiago; Visconti is defeated. *1472 – Orkney and Shetland are pawn (law), pawned by Norway to S ...
– The Canadian Government cancels the Avro Canada CF-105 Arrow interceptor aircraft project.


March

*
March 1 Events Pre-1600 * 509 BC – Publius Valerius Publicola celebrates the first triumph of the Roman Republic after his victory over the deposed king Lucius Tarquinius Superbus at the Battle of Silva Arsia. * 293 – Emperor Diocleti ...
** The , , and are stricken from the United States Naval Vessel Register. **
Archbishop In Christian denominations, an archbishop is a bishop of higher rank or office. In most cases, such as the Catholic Church, there are many archbishops who either have jurisdiction over an ecclesiastical province in addition to their own archdi ...
Makarios returns to
Cyprus Cyprus (), officially the Republic of Cyprus, is an island country in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Situated in West Asia, its cultural identity and geopolitical orientation are overwhelmingly Southeast European. Cyprus is the List of isl ...
from exile. * March 3 – Lunar probe Pioneer 4 becomes the first American object to escape dominance by Earth's gravity. *
March 9 Events Pre-1600 *141 BC – Liu Che, Posthumous name, posthumously known as Emperor Wu of Han, assumes the throne over the Han dynasty of China. *1009 – First known mention of Lithuania, in the Annals of Quedlinburg, annals of the mo ...
Mattel Mattel, Inc. ( ) is an American multinational corporation, multinational toy manufacturing and entertainment company headquartered in El Segundo, California. Founded in Los Angeles by Harold Matson and the husband-and-wife duo of Ruth Handler, ...
's Barbie doll debuts in the United States. * March 10 – The Tibetan uprising erupts in
Lhasa Lhasa, officially the Chengguan District of Lhasa City, is the inner urban district of Lhasa (city), Lhasa City, Tibet Autonomous Region, Southwestern China. Lhasa is the second most populous urban area on the Tibetan Plateau after Xining ...
when Chinese officials attempt to arrest the Dalai Lama. * March 11 – The Eurovision Song Contest 1959, staged in
Cannes Cannes (, ; , ; ) is a city located on the French Riviera. It is a communes of France, commune located in the Alpes-Maritimes departments of France, department, and host city of the annual Cannes Film Festival, Midem, and Cannes Lions Internatio ...
, is won for the
Netherlands , Terminology of the Low Countries, informally Holland, is a country in Northwestern Europe, with Caribbean Netherlands, overseas territories in the Caribbean. It is the largest of the four constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Nether ...
by " 'n Beetje" sung by Teddy Scholten (music by Dick Schallies, lyrics by Willy van Hemert). * March 17Tenzin Gyatso, 14th Dalai Lama escapes
Tibet Tibet (; ''Böd''; ), or Greater Tibet, is a region in the western part of East Asia, covering much of the Tibetan Plateau and spanning about . It is the homeland of the Tibetan people. Also resident on the plateau are other ethnic groups s ...
and arrives in
India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...
. * March 18 – U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower signs the
Hawaii Admission Act The Admission Act, formally An Act to Provide for the Admission of the State of Hawaii into the Union () is a statute enacted by the United States Congress and signed into law by President of the United States, President Dwight D. Eisenhower whi ...
, granting statehood to
Hawaii Hawaii ( ; ) is an island U.S. state, state of the United States, in the Pacific Ocean about southwest of the U.S. mainland. One of the two Non-contiguous United States, non-contiguous U.S. states (along with Alaska), it is the only sta ...
. * March 19 – The other two southern islands of the
Maldives The Maldives, officially the Republic of Maldives, and historically known as the Maldive Islands, is an Archipelagic state, archipelagic country in South Asia located in the Indian Ocean. The Maldives is southwest of Sri Lanka and India, abou ...
, Huvadhu Atoll and Fuvahmulah, join Addu Atoll in forming the United Suvadive Republic (abolished September 1963). * March 28 – The Kashag, the government of
Tibet Tibet (; ''Böd''; ), or Greater Tibet, is a region in the western part of East Asia, covering much of the Tibetan Plateau and spanning about . It is the homeland of the Tibetan people. Also resident on the plateau are other ethnic groups s ...
, is abolished by an order signed by Chinese premier Zhou Enlai. The Dalai Lama is replaced in China by the Panchen Lama. * March 31 – The Dalai Lama is granted asylum in
India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...
.


April

* April 6 – The 31st Academy Awards ceremony is held in Hollywood. Musical film '' Gigi'' receives a record 9 Oscars. * April 8 – The Inter-American Development Bank (IADB) is established. * April 9
NASA The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA ) is an independent agencies of the United States government, independent agency of the federal government of the United States, US federal government responsible for the United States ...
announces its selection of seven military pilots to become the first U.S.
astronaut An astronaut (from the Ancient Greek (), meaning 'star', and (), meaning 'sailor') is a person trained, equipped, and deployed by a List of human spaceflight programs, human spaceflight program to serve as a commander or crew member of a spa ...
s, later known as the ' Mercury Seven'. * April 10 – Crown Prince Akihito of Japan marries Shōda Michiko, the first commoner to marry into the Imperial House of Japan. * April 25 – The Saint Lawrence Seaway linking the
Great Lakes The Great Lakes, also called the Great Lakes of North America, are a series of large interconnected freshwater lakes spanning the Canada–United States border. The five lakes are Lake Superior, Superior, Lake Michigan, Michigan, Lake Huron, H ...
and the Atlantic Ocean officially opens to shipping. * April 27
National People's Congress The National People's Congress (NPC) is the highest organ of state power of the People's Republic of China (PRC). The NPC is the only branch of government in China, and per the principle of unified power, all state organs from the Sta ...
elects Liu Shaoqi as Chairman of the People's Republic of China, as a successor of
Mao Zedong Mao Zedong pronounced ; traditionally Romanization of Chinese, romanised as Mao Tse-tung. (26December 18939September 1976) was a Chinese politician, revolutionary, and political theorist who founded the People's Republic of China (PRC) in ...
.


May

* May – In the United Kingdom: ** Import tariffs are lifted. ** The first Ten Tors event is held on Dartmoor. * May 21959 FA Cup Final: Nottingham Forest defeat Luton Town 2–1 at Wembley Stadium. * May 18 – The National Liberation Committee of Côte d'Ivoire is launched in Conakry, Guinea. * May 21 – '' Gypsy: A Musical Fable'', starring
Ethel Merman Ethel Merman (born Ethel Agnes Zimmermann; January 16, 1908 – February 15, 1984) was an American singer and actress. Known for her distinctive, powerful voice, and her leading roles in musical theatre, musical theater,Obituary ''Variety Obitua ...
in her last new musical, opens on Broadway and runs for 702 performances. * May 23 – In
Laos Laos, officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic (LPDR), is the only landlocked country in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by Myanmar and China to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the southeast, and Thailand to the west and ...
the Laotian Civil War begins between the Kingdom of Laos and communist rebels, the Pathet Lao. * May 24 – British Empire Day is renamed Commonwealth Day. * May 28Jupiter AM-18 rocket launches two primates, Miss Baker and Miss Able, into space from Cape Canaveral in the United States along with living microorganisms and plant seeds. Successful recovery makes them the first living beings to return safely to Earth after space flight.


June

* June 3 **
Singapore Singapore, officially the Republic of Singapore, is an island country and city-state in Southeast Asia. The country's territory comprises one main island, 63 satellite islands and islets, and one outlying islet. It is about one degree ...
becomes a self-governing crown colony of Britain with
Lee Kuan Yew Lee Kuan Yew (born Harry Lee Kuan Yew; 16 September 1923 – 23 March 2015), often referred to by his initials LKY, was a Singaporean politician who ruled as the first Prime Minister of Singapore from 1959 to 1990. He is widely recognised ...
as Prime Minister. ** Real Madrid beat Stade Reims 2–0 at Neckarstadion,
Stuttgart Stuttgart (; ; Swabian German, Swabian: ; Alemannic German, Alemannic: ; Italian language, Italian: ; ) is the capital city, capital and List of cities in Baden-Württemberg by population, largest city of the States of Germany, German state of ...
and win the 1958–59 European Cup (Association football). * June 5 – A new government of the State of Singapore is sworn in by Sir William Goode. Two former ministers are re-elected to the Legislative Assembly. * June 8 – The USS ''Barbero'' and
United States Postal Service The United States Postal Service (USPS), also known as the Post Office, U.S. Mail, or simply the Postal Service, is an independent agencies of the United States government, independent agency of the executive branch of the federal governmen ...
attempt the delivery of mail via Missile Mail. * June 9 – The USS ''George Washington'' is launched as the first submarine to carry ballistic missiles. * June 14 – A 3-front invasion of the Dominican Republic by exile forces backed by
Fidel Castro Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz (13 August 1926 – 25 November 2016) was a Cuban politician and revolutionary who was the leader of Cuba from 1959 to 2008, serving as the prime minister of Cuba from 1959 to 1976 and President of Cuba, president ...
and
Venezuela Venezuela, officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, is a country on the northern coast of South America, consisting of a continental landmass and many Federal Dependencies of Venezuela, islands and islets in the Caribbean Sea. It com ...
attempts to overthrow Rafael Trujillo. * June 18 – The film '' The Nun's Story'', based on the best-selling novel, is released. Audrey Hepburn stars as the title character; she later says that this is her favorite film role. The film is a
box-office A box office or ticket office is a place where ticket (admission), tickets are sold to the public for admission to an event. Patrons may perform the transaction at a countertop, through a hole in a wall or window, or at a Wicket gate, wicket. ...
hit, and is nominated for several Oscars. * June 23 ** Seán Lemass becomes the third Taoiseach of
Ireland Ireland (, ; ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe. Geopolitically, the island is divided between the Republic of Ireland (officially Names of the Irish state, named Irelan ...
. ** Convicted Manhattan Project spy Klaus Fuchs is released after nine years in a British prison and allowed to emigrate to
Dresden Dresden (; ; Upper Saxon German, Upper Saxon: ''Dräsdn''; , ) is the capital city of the States of Germany, German state of Saxony and its second most populous city after Leipzig. It is the List of cities in Germany by population, 12th most p ...
,
East Germany East Germany, officially known as the German Democratic Republic (GDR), was a country in Central Europe from Foundation of East Germany, its formation on 7 October 1949 until German reunification, its reunification with West Germany (FRG) on ...
where he resumes a scientific career. *
June 26 Events Pre-1600 *4 AD, 4 – Augustus adopts Tiberius. * 221 – Roman emperor Elagabalus adopts his cousin Alexander Severus as his heir and receives the title of Caesar (title), Caesar. * 363 – Roman emperor Julian (emperor), J ...
Elizabeth II Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 19268 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until Death and state funeral of Elizabeth II, her death in 2022. ...
(as monarch of Canada) and United States President Dwight D. Eisenhower open the Saint Lawrence Seaway. * June 301959 Okinawa F-100 crash: Twenty-one students are killed and more than a hundred injured when a U.S. Air Force North American F-100 Super Sabre jet crashes into Miamori Elementary School on the Japanese island of Okinawa. The pilot ejected before the plane struck the school.


July

* July 2Prince Albert of Belgium marries Italian Donna Paola Ruffo di Calabria. * July 4 – With the admission of Alaska as the 49th U.S. state earlier in the year, the 49-star flag of the United States debuts in
Philadelphia Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...
. * July 7 – At 14:28 UT
Venus Venus is the second planet from the Sun. It is often called Earth's "twin" or "sister" planet for having almost the same size and mass, and the closest orbit to Earth's. While both are rocky planets, Venus has an atmosphere much thicker ...
occults the star Regulus. The rare event (which will next occur on October 1, 2044) is used to determine the diameter of Venus and the structure of Venus' atmosphere. * July 9 – Wing Commander Michael Beetham flying a British
Royal Air Force The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the Air force, air and space force of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. It was formed towards the end of the World War I, First World War on 1 April 1918, on the merger of t ...
Vickers Valiant sets a record of 11 hours 27 minutes for a non-stop
London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...
-
Cape Town Cape Town is the legislature, legislative capital city, capital of South Africa. It is the country's oldest city and the seat of the Parliament of South Africa. Cape Town is the country's List of municipalities in South Africa, second-largest ...
flight. * July 14 – Groups of Kurdish and communist militias rebel in Kirkuk, Iraq against the central government. * July 17 – The first skull of ''Australopithecus'' is discovered by Louis Leakey and his wife Mary Leakey, Mary in the Olduvai Gorge of Tanzania. * July 22 – A Kumamoto University medical research group studying Minamata disease concludes that it is caused by mercury (element), mercury. * July 24 – At the opening of the American National Exhibition in Moscow, United States Vice President Richard Nixon and Premier of the Soviet Union, USSR Premier Nikita Khrushchev engage in the "Kitchen Debate". * July 25 – The British SR.N1 hovercraft crosses the English Channel from Calais to Dover in just over 2 hours, on the 50th anniversary of Louis Blériot's first crossing by heavier-than-air craft.


August

* August 4 – Martial law is declared in
Laos Laos, officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic (LPDR), is the only landlocked country in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by Myanmar and China to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the southeast, and Thailand to the west and ...
. * August 7 ** Explorer program: The United States launches Explorer 6 from the Atlantic Missile Range in Cape Canaveral, Florida. ** The Roseburg, Oregon#Roseburg Blast, Roseburg Blast in Oregon, caused when a truck carrying explosives catches fire, kills 14 and causes $12 million worth of damage. * August 8 – A flood in Taiwan kills 2,000. * August 14 – Explorer 6 sends the first picture of Earth from orbit. * August 15 –
Cyprus Cyprus (), officially the Republic of Cyprus, is an island country in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Situated in West Asia, its cultural identity and geopolitical orientation are overwhelmingly Southeast European. Cyprus is the List of isl ...
gains independence. * August 17 – In the United States: ** The 1959 Hebgen Lake earthquake in southwest Montana kills 28. ** Miles Davis' influential jazz album ''Kind of Blue'' is released. * August 19 – The Central Treaty Organization (CENTO) is established. * August 21 –
Hawaii Hawaii ( ; ) is an island U.S. state, state of the United States, in the Pacific Ocean about southwest of the U.S. mainland. One of the two Non-contiguous United States, non-contiguous U.S. states (along with Alaska), it is the only sta ...
is admitted as the 50th and last U.S. state. * August 26 – The original Mini car, designed by Sir Alec Issigonis, is launched in England. * August 30 – 1959 South Vietnamese legislative election: South Vietnamese opposition figure Phan Quang Dan is elected to the National Assembly despite Army of the Republic of Vietnam, soldiers being bussed in to vote for President Ngo Dinh Diem's candidate. * August 31 – The Workers' Stadium sports venue in Beijing (China) is officially opened.


September

* September 14 – Soviet spacecraft ''Luna 2'' becomes the first human-made object to crash on the
Moon The Moon is Earth's only natural satellite. It Orbit of the Moon, orbits around Earth at Lunar distance, an average distance of (; about 30 times Earth diameter, Earth's diameter). The Moon rotation, rotates, with a rotation period (lunar ...
. * September 15–September 28, 28 – Premier of the Soviet Union, USSR Premier Nikita Khrushchev and his wife tour the United States, at the invitation of U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower. * September 16 – The Xerox 914, the first plain paper copier, is introduced to the public. * September 17 – The hypersonic North American X-15 research aircraft, piloted by Scott Crossfield, makes its first powered flight at Edwards Air Force Base, California. * September 23 – The , Australia's first passenger roll-on/roll-off Diesel engine, diesel ferry, makes her maiden voyage across the Bass Strait. * September 26 **Typhoon Vera hits central Honshū, Japan, as a Category 5 storm, killing an estimated 5,098, injuring another 38,921, and leaving 1,533,000 homeless. Most of the victims and damage are centered in the Nagoya area. ** First large unit action of the Vietnam War takes place, when two companies of the Army of the Republic of Vietnam, ARVN's 23rd Division (South Vietnam), 23rd Division are ambushed by a well-organized Viet Cong force of several hundred, identified as the "2nd Liberation Battalion". * September 30 –
Soviet Union The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...
leader Nikita Khrushchev meets
Mao Zedong Mao Zedong pronounced ; traditionally Romanization of Chinese, romanised as Mao Tse-tung. (26December 18939September 1976) was a Chinese politician, revolutionary, and political theorist who founded the People's Republic of China (PRC) in ...
in Beijing.


October

* October 1 – The 10th anniversary of the People's Republic of China is celebrated with pomp across the country. * October 7 – The Soviet probe Luna 3 sends back the first ever images of the far side of the Moon. * October 12 – At the national Alianza Popular Revolucionaria Americana Congress in Peru, a group of leftist radicals is expelled from the party; they later form APRA Rebelde. * October 13 – The United States launches research satellite Explorer 7. * October 21 – The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum of modern art (designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, who died on April 9) opens to the public in New York City. * October 29 – First appearance of Astérix the Gaul, in a French comic magazine. * October 31 – Riots break out in the Belgian Congo.


November

* November 1 – In Rwanda, Hutu politician Dominique Mbonyumutwa is beaten up by Tutsi forces, leading to a period of violence known as the wind of destruction. * November 2 – At a ceremony near Toddington, Bedfordshire, Toddington, British Secretary of State for Transport, Minister of Transport Ernest Marples opens the first section of the M1 motorway, M1 Motorway, between Watford and Crick, Northamptonshire, Crick, along with two Spur route, spur motorways, the M45 motorway, M45 and M10 motorway (Great Britain), M10. Three decades of large scale motorway construction follow, leading to the rapid expansion of the UK List of motorways in the United Kingdom, motorway network. * November 15 – The brutal Clutter family murders are committed in Holcomb, Kansas, inspiring Truman Capote's ''In Cold Blood'' (1966). * November 18 – Religious epic film ''Ben-Hur (1959 film), Ben-Hur'', starring Charlton Heston, which will be by far the highest-grossing film of the year and will go on to win a record 12 Academy Awards, premieres at New York City's Loews Theater in Ultra Panavision 70. * November 20 – The Declaration of the Rights of the Child is adopted by the United Nations. * November – The MOSFET (metal–oxide–semiconductor field-effect transistor), also known as the MOS transistor, is invented by Mohamed Atalla and Dawon Kahng at Bell Labs in the United States. It revolutionizes the electronics industry, becomes the fundamental building block of the Information Age and goes on to become the most widely manufactured device in history.


December

* December 1 – Cold War: Antarctic Treaty System, Antarctic Treaty – 12 countries, including the United States and the
Soviet Union The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...
, sign a landmark treaty that sets aside Antarctica as a scientific preserve and bans military activity on the continent (the first arms control agreement established during the Cold War). * December 2 – Malpasset Dam in southern France collapses and water flows over the town of Fréjus, killing 412. * December 8 – The life-boat ''RNLB Mona (ON 775), Mona'', based at Broughty Ferry in Scotland, capsizes during a rescue attempt with the loss of 8 lives. * December 11 – Charles Robberts Swart is appointed the 11th Governor-General of the Union of South Africa. * December 14 – Makarios III is selected as the first president of Cyprus.


Date unknown

* The Supremes girl group is founded as The Primettes in
Detroit Detroit ( , ) is the List of municipalities in Michigan, most populous city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is situated on the bank of the Detroit River across from Windsor, Ontario. It had a population of 639,111 at the 2020 United State ...
. * Nylon pantyhose, or sheer tights, are first sold on the open market as 'Panti-Legs' by Glen Raven, Inc., Glen Raven Knitting Mills in the United States. * The first known human with HIV dies in the Belgian Congo, Congo. * The current (as of 2024) design of the Japanese 10 yen coin is put into circulation. * The Caspian tiger becomes extinct in Iran. * The Henney Kilowatt goes on sale in the United States, becoming the first production electric car in almost three decades, but only 47 models will be sold in its 2-year production run. * Car tailfin design reaches its apex in the United States with such as the Cadillac Eldorado, Chevrolet Impala#Second generation (1959–1960), Chevrolet Impala second generation model, Dodge Coronet#1959 Dodge Silver Challenger, Dodge Silver Challenger and Imperial (automobile)#Second generation (1957–1966), Imperial Crown Sedan.


Births


January

*
January 1 January 1 is the first day of the calendar year in the Gregorian Calendar; 364 days remain until the end of the year (365 in leap years). This day is also known as New Year's Day since the day marks the beginning of the year. __TOC__ Events ...
– Azali Assoumani, President of the Comoros *
January 4 Events Pre-1600 *46 BC – Julius Caesar fights Titus Labienus in the Battle of Ruspina. * 871 – Battle of Reading (871), Battle of Reading: Æthelred of Wessex and his brother Alfred the Great, Alfred are defeated by a Danish invasi ...
– Vanity (singer), Vanity, Canadian singer and actress (d. 2016) *
January 9 Events Pre-1600 * 681 – Twelfth Council of Toledo: King Erwig of the Visigoths initiates a council in which he implements diverse measures against the Jews in Spain. * 1038 – An earthquake in Dingxiang, China kills an estimate ...
– Rigoberta Menchú, Guatemalan recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize *
January 10 Events Pre-1600 *49 BC – Julius Caesar crosses the Rubicon, signalling the start of civil war. * 9 – The Western Han dynasty ends when Wang Mang claims that the divine Mandate of Heaven called for the end of the dynasty and th ...
– Chris Van Hollen, US Senator * January 16 – Sade (singer), Sade, Nigerian-English singer * January 17 ** Susanna Hoffs, American rock vocalist ** Momoe Yamaguchi, Japanese singer *
January 22 Events Pre-1600 * 613 – Eight-month-old Heraclius Constantine is crowned as co-emperor ('' Caesar'') by his father Heraclius at Constantinople. * 871 – Battle of Basing: The West Saxons led by King Æthelred I are defeated b ...
– Linda Blair, American actress * January 24 – Kevin Magee (basketball), Kevin Magee, American basketball player (d. 2003) * January 27 – **Cris Collinsworth, American professional football player and sports broadcaster **Keith Olbermann, American news anchor and sportscaster *
January 30 Events Pre-1600 * 1018 – Poland and the Holy Roman Empire conclude the Peace of Bautzen. * 1287 – King Wareru founds the Hanthawaddy Kingdom, and proclaims independence from the Pagan Kingdom. 1601–1900 * 1607 – An es ...
** Steve Augeri, American singer ** Jody Watley, African-American singer


February

* February 5 – Jennifer Granholm, Canadian-American politician, 47th Governor of Michigan (2003–2011) * February 8 ** Andrew Hoy, Australian equestrian ** Mauricio Macri, President of Argentina *
February 9 Events Pre-1600 * 474 – Zeno (emperor), Zeno is crowned as co-emperor of the Byzantine Empire, Eastern Roman Empire *1003 – Boleslaus III, Duke of Bohemia, Boleslaus III is restored to authority with armed support from Bolesław I ...
– Joachim Kunz, East German Olympic weightlifter *
February 13 Events Pre-1600 * 962 – Emperor Otto I, Holy Roman Emperor, Otto I and Pope Pope John XII, John XII co-sign the ''Diploma Ottonianum'', recognizing John as ruler of Rome. *1258 – Siege of Baghdad (1258), Siege of Baghdad: Hulegu Kh ...
Benur Pashayan, Soviet Armenian Greco-Roman wrestler (d. 2019) * February 14 – Renée Fleming, American soprano *
February 16 Events Pre-1600 * 1249 – Andrew of Longjumeau is dispatched by Louis IX of France as his ambassador to meet with the Khagan of the Mongol Empire. * 1270 – The Grand Duchy of Lithuania defeats the Livonian Order in the Battl ...
– John McEnroe, American tennis player * February 18 – Jayne Atkinson, English-born American film, theatre and television actress * February 22 – Kyle MacLachlan, American actor * February 23 – Clayton Anderson, American astronaut * February 26 – Rolando Blackman, Panamanian Americans, Panamanian-American basketball player


March

* March 4 – Irina Strakhova, Russian race walker * March 5 – Vazgen Sargsyan, 8th Prime Minister of Armenia (d. 1999) * March 6 – Tom Arnold (actor), Tom Arnold, American actor and comedian * March 7 – Donna Murphy, American actress and singer * March 8 – Aidan Quinn, Irish-American actor *
March 9 Events Pre-1600 *141 BC – Liu Che, Posthumous name, posthumously known as Emperor Wu of Han, assumes the throne over the Han dynasty of China. *1009 – First known mention of Lithuania, in the Annals of Quedlinburg, annals of the mo ...
– Takaaki Kajita, Japanese nuclear physicist, recipient of the Nobel Prize in Physics * March 11 – Dejan Stojanović, Serbian-American poet, writer, essayist and businessman * March 13 – Kathy Hilton, American socialite and philanthropist * March 14 – Tamara Tunie, American actress * March 15 – Eliot Teltscher, American tennis player * March 16 – Jens Stoltenberg, 27th Prime Minister of Norway * March 18 ** Luc Besson, French film producer, writer and director ** Irene Cara, American singer and actress (d. 2022) * March 21 – Nobuo Uematsu, Japanese composer * March 22 – Matthew Modine, American actor * March 28 – Laura Chinchilla, 49th president of Costa Rica * March 30 – Andrew Bailey (banker), Andrew Bailey, executive director banking and chief cashier at the Bank of England


April

* April 2 ** Alberto Fernández, President of Argentina ** Badou Ezzaki, Moroccan football player and manager * April 3 – David Hyde Pierce, American actor * April 7 – Rejoice Timire, Zimbabwean activist and politician (d. 2021) * April 15 ** Adriano Ruchini, Italian businessman ** Emma Thompson, English actress ** Debra Livingston, American Lawyer * April 16 – Alison Ramsay, Scottish field hockey player * April 17 – Sean Bean, British actor * April 21 – Robert Smith (musician), Robert Smith, lead vocalist of The Cure * April 22 – Ryan Stiles, American-Canadian comedian * April 24 – Paula Yates, British television presenter (d. 2000) * April 26 – Pedro Pierluisi, Governor of Puerto Rico * April 27 – Sheena Easton, Scottish singer * April 30 – Stephen Harper, 22nd Prime Minister of Canada


May

* May 1 – Yasmina Reza, French playwright, actress, novelist and screenwriter * May 3 ** Uma Bharti, Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh ** Ben Elton, British comedian and writer * May 9 ** Christian Bach, Argentine-Mexican actress and producer of telenovelas (d. 2019) ** János Áder, President of Hungary * May 10 ** Victoria Rowell, American actress ** Cindy Hyde-Smith, US Senator * May 12 – Ving Rhames, African-American actor * May 14 – Patrick Bruel, French singer * May 17 – Marcelo Loffreda, Argentine rugby player and coach * May 20 – Israel Kamakawiwoʻole, Hawaiian singer (d. 1997) * May 21 – Loretta Lynch, American politician, 83rd United States Attorney General * May 22 – Morrissey, British singer * May 24 – Pelle Lindbergh, Swedish-born hockey player (d. 1985) * May 27 – Donna Strickland, Canadian physicist, recipient of the Nobel Prize in Physics * May 29 ** Rupert Everett, British actor ** Gretchen (singer), Gretchen, Brazilian singer and media personality


June

* June 7 – Mike Pence, American politician and former Vice President of the United States. * June 9 – Paul Graham (television producer), Paul Graham, Canadian television producer * June 10 ** Carlo Ancelotti, Italian football player and manager ** Eliot Spitzer, American politician and List of Governors of New York, governor of New York * June 11 – Hugh Laurie, British actor, comedian and musician * June 13 – Klaus Iohannis, President of Romania * June 13 - Jim Irsay, American businessman and former owner of the Indianapolis Colts (d. 2025 * June 17 – Ulrike Richter, German swimmer * June 19 ** Anne Hidalgo, French politician, Mayor of Paris (2014–present) ** Christian Wulff, Federal President of Germany * June 21 ** Guerrinha, Brazilian basketball coach and basketball player ** Marcella Detroit, American soprano vocalist, guitarist and songwriter ** Louis Febre, Mexican composer * June 22 – Wayne Federman, American comedian, actor and author * June 27 ** Khadja Nin, Burundian singer and musician ** Pétur Pétursson, Icelandic footballer * June 29 – Gina Alajar, Filipino film and television actress and television director * June 30 – Vincent D'Onofrio, American actor


July

* July 1 ** Mohamed Lemine Ould Guig, Mauritanian academic and political figure ** Giovanni D'Aleo, Italian long-distance runner * July 4 – Victoria Abril, Spanish actress and singer * July 5 ** María Concepción Navarrete, Mexican politician ** Marc Cohn, American singer-songwriter * July 6 – Richard Dacoury, French basketball player * July 7 – Barbara Krause, German swimmer * July 8 ** Pauline Quirke, English actress ** Mikhail Zingarevich, Russian entrepreneur and philanthropist * July 9 ** Jim Kerr, Scottish rock singer (Simple Minds) ** Kevin Nash, American professional wrestler * July 11 ** Richie Sambora, American musician ** Suzanne Vega, American singer * July 12 ** King Tupou VI of Tonga ** Charlie Murphy (actor), Charlie Murphy, African-American actor and comedian (d. 2017) * July 14 ** Susana Martinez, American politician, Governor of New Mexico ** Lynn Bertholet, Swiss bank executive * July 15 – Vincent Lindon, French actor and filmmaker * July 19 – Juan J. Campanella, Argentinian filmmaker * July 20 – Giovanna Amati, Italian racing driver * July 24 – Markus Graf, Swiss ice hockey player, coach, and executive * July 25 – Fyodor Cherenkov, Russian footballer and manager (d. 2014) * July 26 – Kevin Spacey, American actor * July 29 ** Sanjay Dutt, Indian actor ** Ruud Janssen, Dutch artist * July 30 − Abdullah of Pahang, sixteenth Yang di-Pertuan Agong of Malaysia


August

* August 3 ** John C. McGinley, American actor ** Koichi Tanaka, Japanese scientist, recipient of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry *August 5 - Pete Burns, English singer, songwriter and television personality (d. 2016) * August 6 – Rajendra Singh (environmentalist), Rajendra Singh, Indian water conservationist, Magsaysay Award (2001) * August 7 – Koenraad Elst, Belgian Indologist * August 10 – Rosanna Arquette, American actress * August 11 – Gustavo Cerati, Argentinian singer (d. 2014) * August 14 ** Marcia Gay Harden, American actress ** Magic Johnson, African-American basketball player ** Bill Hagerty, US Senator * August 15 – Scott Altman, American astronaut * August 17 ** Jonathan Franzen, American author ** David Koresh, American spiritualist, leader of the Branch Davidian religious cult (d. 1993) * August 25 ** Guglielmo Trinci, retired Italian professional baseball player ** Sönke Wortmann, German film director * August 26 – Stan Van Gundy, American basketball coach and TV commentator * August 27 ** Juan Fernando Cobo, Colombian artist **Daniela Romo, Mexican singer, actress and TV hostess * August 28 – Arthur Holden, Canadian actor and writer * August 29 ** Rebecca De Mornay, American actress ** Chris Hadfield, Canadian retired astronaut * August 30 – Mark Jackson (Australian footballer), Mark Jackson, Australian rules footballer and actor * August 31 – Tony DeFranco, Canadian singer


September

* September 2 – Guy Laliberté, Canadian Cirque du Soleil founder * September 4 ** Kevin Harrington (actor), Kevin Harrington, Australian actor ** Armin Kogler, Austrian ski jumper * September 6 – Gaetano Varcasia, Italian voice actor and theatre director (d. 2014) * September 7 ** Pierre Nanterme, French business executive (d. 2019) ** Drew Weissman, American biochemist, recipient of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine * September 8 – Daler Nazarov, Tajik composer, singer and actor * September 11 – John Hawkes (actor), John Hawkes, American actor * September 12 – Sigmar Gabriel, German politician * September 13 ** Kathy Johnson, American artistic gymnast ** Chris Hansen, American journalist * September 14 – Morten Harket, Norwegian rock singer (A-ha) * September 16 – Peter Keleghan, Canadian actor * September 17 – Olivia Lozano, Venezuelan politician * September 18 ** Ian Bridge, Canadian soccer player ** Sérgio Britto, Brazilian singer and keyboardist * September 21 – Dave Coulier, American comedian * September 23 ** Jason Alexander, American actor and comedian ** Elizabeth Peña, American actress (d. 2014) * September 28 – Dantes Tsitsi, Nauruan politician * September 29 – Jon Fosse, Norwegian Nynorsk novelist, dramatist and poet, recipient of the Nobel Prize in literature * September 30 **Ana Denicola, Uruguayan scientist ** Ettore Messina, Italian basketball coach


October

* October 1 – Youssou N'Dour, Senegalese singer * October 2 – Lena Hades, Russian artist * October 3 – Fred Couples, American golfer * October 4 – Chris Lowe, British musician * October 7 – Simon Cowell, English music producer and television talent show judge * October 8 ** Erik Gundersen, Danish motorcycle racer ** Carlos I. Noriega, Peruvian-American colonel and astronaut * October 9 – Boris Nemtsov, Russian politician (murdered 2015) * October 10 ** Kirsty MacColl, British singer-songwriter (d. 2000) ** Julia Sweeney, American actress and comedian * October 13 – Marie Osmond, American singer * October 15 ** Emeril Lagasse, American chef and restaurant owner ** Sarah, Duchess of York, British royal spouse * October 17 – Francisco Flores Pérez, President of El Salvador (d. 2016) * October 18 – Mauricio Funes, 44th President of El Salvador (d. 2025) * October 21 – Ken Watanabe, Japanese actor * October 22 – Arto Salminen, Finnish writer (d. 2005) * October 23 ** "Weird Al" Yankovic, American singer and parodist ** Sam Raimi, American producer, writer and director * October 24 – Michelle Lujan Grisham, American politician, governor and representative from New Mexico * October 25 – Chrissy Amphlett, Australian rock singer (d. 2013) * October 26 ** Evo Morales, President of Bolivia ** Dimitris Tsiodras, Greek politician * October 27 – Rick Carlisle, American basketball coach * October 29 – John Magufuli, 5th President of Tanzania (d. 2021) * October 31 – Neal Stephenson, American writer


November

* November 2 – Saïd Aouita, Moroccan athlete * November 5 – Bryan Adams, Canadian singer and photographer * November 10 ** Mackenzie Phillips, American actress ** Mike McCarthy, American football coach * November 11 ** Parithi Ilamvazhuthi, Indian politician (d. 2018) ** Christian Schwarzenegger, Swiss legal scientist and professor * November 14 ** Deta Hedman, Jamaican-born English darts player ** Paul McGann, British actor * November 19 – Allison Janney, American actress * November 20 – Sean Young, American actress * November 23 ** Dominique Dunne, American actress (d. 1982) ** Maxwell Caulfield, British actor * November 25 – Charles Kennedy, British politician (d. 2015) *November 26 – Sergey Golovkin, Russian serial killer and rapist (d. 1996) * November 27 – Viktoria Mullova, Russian violinist * November 28 – Judd Nelson, American actor * November 29 ** Rahm Emanuel, American politician ** Platon Lebedev, Russian executive ** Neal Broten, American professional ice hockey player * November 30 ** Cherie Currie, singer, musician, actress, and artist ** Marie Currie, singer, songwriter, actress, and artist ** Sylvia Hanika, German tennis player


December

* December 1 – Wally Lewis, Australian rugby league player * December 3 – Kathy Jordan, American tennis player * December 4 – Christa Luding-Rothenburger, German speed skater * December 5 – Yoshitomo Nara, Japanese artist * December 6 – Satoru Iwata, Japanese president of Nintendo (d. 2015) * December 11 – Li Gui-min, Taiwanese politician * December 13 – Johnny Whitaker, American actor * December 14 – Evan Ziporyn, American composer * December 15 – Betsy Arakawa, American classical pianist * December 17 – Gregg Araki, American director * December 19 – Waise Lee, Hong Kong actor * December 20 – Stephen Chan Chi Wan, general manager of TVB * December 21 – Florence Griffith Joyner, American athlete (d. 1998) * December 22 – Bernd Schuster, German footballer and manager * December 24 – Lee Daniels, American director and producer * December 25 – Michael P. Anderson, American astronaut (d. 2003) * December 26 – Glenna Cabello, Venezuelan political scientist * December 28 – Ana Torroja, Spanish singer * December 29 ** Marco Antonio Solís, Mexican singer ** Patricia Clarkson, American actress * December 30 – Tracey Ullman, British-American comedian and actress * December 31 ** Val Kilmer, American actor (d. 2025) ** Baron Waqa, Nauruan politician and composer, 14th President of Nauru


Full date unknown

*Paul Zgheib, Lebanese photographer *Bernard Lavigne, French Judge


Deaths


January

*
January 9 Events Pre-1600 * 681 – Twelfth Council of Toledo: King Erwig of the Visigoths initiates a council in which he implements diverse measures against the Jews in Spain. * 1038 – An earthquake in Dingxiang, China kills an estimate ...
– Giuseppe Bottai, Italian Fascist journalist and politician (b. 1895) *
January 10 Events Pre-1600 *49 BC – Julius Caesar crosses the Rubicon, signalling the start of civil war. * 9 – The Western Han dynasty ends when Wang Mang claims that the divine Mandate of Heaven called for the end of the dynasty and th ...
– Colin Gregory, Australian tennis player (b. 1903) * January 14 ** Eivind Berggrav, Norwegian Lutheran bishop and reverend (b. 1884) ** G. D. H. Cole, English political theorist, economist and historian (b. 1889) *
January 21 Events Pre-1600 * 763 – Following the Battle of Bakhamra between Alids and Abbasids near Kufa, the Alid rebellion ends with the death of Ibrahim, brother of Isa ibn Musa. * 1525 – The Swiss Anabaptist Movement is founded wh ...
** Cecil B. DeMille, American film director (b. 1881) ** Frances Gertrude McGill, Canadian forensic pathologist (b. 1882) ** Carl "Alfalfa" Switzer, American actor (b. 1927) *
January 22 Events Pre-1600 * 613 – Eight-month-old Heraclius Constantine is crowned as co-emperor ('' Caesar'') by his father Heraclius at Constantinople. * 871 – Battle of Basing: The West Saxons led by King Æthelred I are defeated b ...
** Elisabeth Moore, American tennis champion (b. 1876) ** Mike Hawthorn, English racing driver (b. 1929)


February

* February 3 – The Day the Music Died, Killed in the crash of a private plane: ** The Big Bopper (J.P. Richardson), American rock singer (b. 1930) ** Buddy Holly, American rock singer (b. 1936) ** Ritchie Valens, American rock singer (b. 1941) * February 4 – Una O'Connor (actress), Una O'Connor, Irish actress (b. 1880) * February 7 – D. F. Malan, South African politician, 4th Prime Minister of South Africa (b. 1874) * February 11 – Marshall Teague (racing driver), Marshall Teague, American race car driver (b. 1921) * February 12 – George Antheil, American composer (b. 1900) * February 14 – Baby Dodds, American jazz musician (b. 1898) * February 15 – Owen Willans Richardson, Sir Owen Richardson, British physicist, Nobel Prize in Physics, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1879) * February 18 – Gago Coutinho, Portuguese aviation pioneer (b. 1869) * February 22 – Helen Parrish, American actress (b. 1924, 1923) * February 23 – Pierre Frieden, Luxembourgish politician and writer, 18th Prime Minister of Luxembourg (b. 1892) * February 25 – Klawdziy Duzh-Dushewski, Soviet architect, diplomat and journalist (b. 1891) * February 26 ** Princess Alexandra, 2nd Duchess of Fife, eldest grandchild of King Edward VII (b. 1891) ** Kōtoku Satō, Japanese general (b. 1893) * February 28 ** Maxwell Anderson, American screenwriter (b. 1888) ** Beatrix Farrand, American gardener and architect (b. 1872)


March

*
March 1 Events Pre-1600 * 509 BC – Publius Valerius Publicola celebrates the first triumph of the Roman Republic after his victory over the deposed king Lucius Tarquinius Superbus at the Battle of Silva Arsia. * 293 – Emperor Diocleti ...
– Mack Gordon, American composer and lyricist (b. 1904) * March 2 – Eric Blore, English actor (b. 1887) * March 3 – Lou Costello, American actor and comedian (b. 1906) * March 4 – Maxie Long, American athlete (b. 1878) * March 6 ** Guido Brignone, Italian actor (b. 1886) ** Fred Stone, American actor (b. 1873) * March 7 – Ichirō Hatoyama, Japanese politician, 36th Prime Minister of Japan (b. 1883) * March 15 ** Shalva Dadiani, Soviet novelist (b. 1874) ** Lester Young, American jazz saxophonist (b. 1909) * March 17 – Galaktion Tabidze, Georgian poet (b. 1891) * March 19 – Umberto Barbaro, Italian critic (b. 1902) * March 23 – Dominick Trcka, Czechoslovak Roman Catholic priest and blessed (b. 1886) * March 24 – Abd al-Rahman al-Mahdi, Sudanese political figure and religious leader, Imam of the Ansar (Sudan), Ansar and 1st Prime Minister of Sudan (b. 1885) * March 26 – Raymond Chandler, American-born novelist (b. 1888) * March 28 – Lyubov Golanchikova, Soviet pilot (b. 1889) * March 29 – Barthélemy Boganda, 1st Prime Minister of the Central African Republic (b. 1910)


April

* April 2 – Nicholas Charnetsky, Soviet Eastern Orthodox Church, Orthodox priest, bishop, martyr and blessed (b. 1884) * April 8 – Jonathan Zenneck, German physicist and electrical engineer (b. 1871) * April 9 – Frank Lloyd Wright, American architect (b. 1867) * April 18 – Irving Cummings, American actor (b. 1888) * April 28 – María Guggiari Echeverría, Paraguayan Roman Catholic religious professed and venerable (b. 1925) * April 29 – Kenneth Anderson (British Army officer), Sir Kenneth Anderson, British general (b. 1891)


May

* May 5 ** Georges-François-Xavier-Marie Grente, Georges Grente, French Roman Catholic cardinal and eminence (b. 1872) ** Carlos Saavedra Lamas, Argentine politician, recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize (b. 1878) * May 8 ** Renato Caccioppoli, Italian mathematician (b. 1904) ** Ibrahim of Johor, Malaysian sultan (b. 1873) * May 11 – Marcella Albani, Italian actress (b. 1899) * May 14 – Sidney Bechet, American-born jazz saxophonist (b. 1897) * May 17 – George Albert Smith (film pioneer), George Albert Smith, English film pioneer (b. 1864) * May 18 ** Apsley Cherry-Garrard, Antarctic explorer (b. 1886) ** Enrique Guaita, Argentinian footballer (b. 1910) * May 20 – Alfred Schütz, Austrian sociologist (b. 1899) * May 24 – John Foster Dulles, 52nd United States Secretary of State (b. 1888) * May 29 – Ed Walsh, American baseball player (b. 1881)


June

* June 1 – Sax Rohmer, English author (b. 1883) * June 4 – Charles Vidor, American director (b. 1900) * June 8 – Pietro Canonica, Italian sculptor (b. 1869) * June 9 – Adolf Windaus, German chemist, Nobel Prize in Chemistry, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1876) * June 13 – Seán Lester, Irish diplomat (b. 1888) * June 14 – Jerónimo Méndez, Chilean politician, acting Presidents of Chile, President of the Republic (b. 1887) * June 15 – Kazimierz Bein, Polish ophthalmologist (b. 1872) * June 16 – George Reeves, American television actor (b. 1914) * June 18 ** Ethel Barrymore, American stage and screen actress (b. 1879) ** Vincenzo Cardarelli, Italian poet (b. 1887) * June 20 ** Hitoshi Ashida, Japanese politician, 34th Prime Minister of Japan (b. 1887) ** Ian Clunies Ross, Sir Ian Clunies Ross, Australian scientist (b. 1899) * June 22 – Bruce Harlan, American Olympic diver (b. 1926) * June 23 ** Cesare Maria De Vecchi, Italian soldier (b. 1884) ** Boris Vian, French writer, poet, singer and musician (b. 1920) * June 27 ** Elias, Duke of Parma (b. 1880) ** Giovanni Pastrone, Italian actor, director and screenwriter (b. 1883) * June 30 – José Vasconcelos, Mexican politician, writer and philosopher (b. 1882)


July

* July 2 – Sergei Chetverikov, Russian biologist (b. 1880) * July 3 – Johan Bojer, Norwegian novelist and dramatist (b. 1872) * July 6 – George Grosz, German artist (b. 1893) * July 7 ** Hermenegildo Anglada Camarasa, Spanish painter (b. 1871) ** Ernest Newman, English music critic (b. 1868) * July 14 – Grock, Swiss clown (b. 1880) * July 15 ** Ernest Bloch, Swiss-born American composer (b. 1880) ** Agostino Gemelli, Italian Franciscan friar and reverend (b. 1878) * July 17 – Billie Holiday, American singer (b. 1915) * July 20 – William D. Leahy, American admiral (b. 1875) * July 25 ** Yitzhak HaLevi Herzog, Polish-born Chief Rabbi of Ireland, and later of Israel (b. 1888) ** King Mutara III of Rwanda (b. 1911) * July 27 – Aleksandar Tsankov, 21st Prime Minister of Bulgaria (b. 1879) * July 30 – María Natividad Venegas de la Torre, Mexican Roman Catholic nun and saint (b. 1868)


August

* August 4 – Ioan Bălan, Romanian Eastern Orthodox Church, Orthodox prelate (b. 1880) * August 6 – Preston Sturges, American film director and writer (b. 1898) * August 8 ** Albert Namatjira, Australian Aboriginal artist (b. 1902) ** Luigi Sturzo, Italian Roman Catholic priest and politician (b. 1871) * August 9 – Emil František Burian, Czechoslovak poet (b. 1904) * August 16 ** William Halsey Jr., American US Navy Fleet admiral (b. 1882) ** Wanda Landowska, Polish harpsichordist (b. 1879) * August 19 – Blind Willie McTell, American Piedmont blues singer and guitarist (b. 1901) * August 21 – Jacob Epstein, Sir Jacob Epstein, American-born British sculptor (b. 1880) * August 28 ** Raphael Lemkin, Polish lawyer (b. 1900) ** Bohuslav Martinů, Czech composer (b. 1890)


September

* September 6 ** Edmund Gwenn, English actor (b. 1877) ** Kay Kendall, English actress (b. 1927) * September 7 – Maurice Duplessis, Premier of Quebec (b. 1890) * September 9 – Ramón Fonst, Cuban fencer (b. 1883) * September 11 – Paul Douglas (actor), Paul Douglas, American actor (b. 1907) * September 14 – Wayne Morris (American actor), Wayne Morris, American actor (b. 1914) * September 18 – Adolf Ziegler, German painter (b. 1892) * September 20 – Nikandr Chibisov, Russian commander (b. 1892) * September 22 ** Josef Matthias Hauer, Austrian composer and music theorist (b. 1883) ** Edmund Ironside, 1st Baron Ironside, British field marshal (b. 1880) * September 24 – Wolfgang Paalen, German-Austrian-Mexican painter, sculptor and art philosopher (b. 1905) * September 25 – Helen Broderick, American actress (b. 1891) * September 26 – S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike, 4th Prime Minister of Ceylon (b. 1899) * September 28 ** Rudolf Caracciola, German racing driver (b. 1901) ** Vinnie Richards, American tennis player (b. 1903) * September 30 – Taylor Holmes, American actor (b. 1878)


October

* October 1 – Enrico De Nicola, Italian jurist, politician and journalist, 1st President of Italy (b. 1877) * October 3 – Sakiko Kanase, Japanese hostess, model, and teacher (b. 1935) * October 6 – Bernard Berenson, American art historian (b. 1865) * October 7 – Mario Lanza, American tenor (b. 1921) * October 9 – Shirō Ishii, Japanese microbiologist and lieutenant general of Unit 731 (b. 1892) * October 14 – Errol Flynn, Australian actor (b. 1909) * October 15 – Stepan Bandera, Ukrainian nationalist leader (b. 1909) * October 16 – George C. Marshall, United States Secretary of State, recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize (b. 1880) * October 18 – Boughera El Ouafi, Algerian athlete (b. 1898) * October 19 – Ebrahim Hakimi, 29th Prime Minister of Iran (b. 1869) * October 20 – Werner Krauss, German actor (b. 1884) * October 22 – Joseph Cahill, Australian politician (b. 1891) * October 28 – Camilo Cienfuegos, Cuban revolutionary (b. 1932) * October 29 – King Sisavang Vong of
Laos Laos, officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic (LPDR), is the only landlocked country in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by Myanmar and China to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the southeast, and Thailand to the west and ...
(b. 1885)


November

* November 1 – Zhang Jinghui, Chinese general and politician, Prime Minister of Manchukuo (b. 1871) * November 2 – Federico Tedeschini, Italian Roman Catholic cardinal and eminence (b. 1873) * November 4 ** George of Drama, Greek Eastern Orthodox Church, Orthodox priest, elder and saint (b. 1901)Saint George Karslides of Drama
/ref> ** Friedrich Waismann, Austrian mathematician, physicist and philosopher (b. 1896) * November 6 ** José P. Laurel, Filipino politician and judge, 3rd President of the Philippines (b. 1891) ** Ivan Leonidov, Russian architect (b. 1902) * November 7 – Victor McLaglen, English actor and boxer (b. 1886) * November 10 – Lupino Lane, British actor (b. 1892) * November 15 – Charles Thomson Rees Wilson, Scottish physicist, Nobel Prize in Physics, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1869) * November 17 – Heitor Villa-Lobos, Brazilian composer (b. 1887) * November 20 – Alfonso López Pumarejo, 2-time President of Colombia (b. 1886) * November 21 – Max Baer (boxer), Max Baer, American boxer and actor (b. 1909) * November 22 – Molla Mallory, American tennis champion (b. 1884) * November 24 ** Stepan Erzia, Russian sculptor (b. 1876) ** Ion Gigurtu, 42nd Prime Minister of Romania (b. 1886) * November 25 – Gérard Philipe, French actor (b. 1922)


December

* December 3 – Juozapas Skvireckas, Soviet Eastern Orthodox Church, Orthodox archbishop and reverend (b. 1873) * December 4 – Hubert Marischka, Austrian film director (b. 1882) * December 7 ** Charlie Hall (actor, born 1899), Charlie Hall, English actor (b. 1899) ** Prince Kuni Asaakira (b. 1901) * December 11 – Jim Bottomley, American baseball player (b. 1900) * December 14 – Stanley Spencer, British painter (b. 1891) * December 19 – Andrés Martínez Trueba, 31st President of Uruguay (b. 1884) * December 22 – Gilda Gray, Polish-born dancer and actress (b. 1901) * December 23 – Edward Wood, 1st Earl of Halifax, British politician (b. 1881) * December 28 – Ante Pavelić, Ante Pavelic, Croatian fascist leader and WWII war criminal (b. 1889)


Unknown

* Al-Abbas ibn Ibrahim as-Samlali, Moroccan historian (b. 1877) * Elena Săcălici, Romanian artistic gymnast (b. 1935)


Nobel Prizes

* Nobel Prize in Physics, Physics – Emilio Gino Segrè, Owen Chamberlain * Nobel Prize in Chemistry, Chemistry – Jaroslav Heyrovský * Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, Physiology or Medicine – Severo Ochoa, Arthur Kornberg * Nobel Prize in Literature, Literature – Salvatore Quasimodo * Nobel Peace Prize, Peace – Philip Noel-Baker


Notes


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:1959 1959,