WHAT ALL HAPPENED MARCH TO AUGUST 1959
Find out what all happened March to August 1959

The Organization of American States drafts an agreement to create the Inter-American Development Bank. (8. April 1959)

Singapore was declared a self-governing state even though it was still a part of the British Empire. (3. June 1959)

The USS George Washington is launched. It is the first submarine to carry ballistic missiles. (9. June 1959)

Elijah Jerry "Pumpsie" Green becomes the first African-American to play for the Boston Red Sox, the last team to integrate. He came in as a pinch runner for Vic Wertz and stayed in as shortstop in a 2-1 loss to the Chicago White Sox. (21. July 1959)

The Barbie doll makes its debut at the American International Toy Fair in New York. (9. March 1959)

The 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, crosses the border into India and is granted political asylum. (31. March 1959)

First United States Congress elections in Hawaii as a state of the Union. (29. July 1959)

The Party of the African Federation holds its constitutive conference. (1. July 1959)

The Auckland Harbour Bridge, crossing the Waitemata Harbour in Auckland, New Zealand, is officially opened by Governor-General Charles Lyttelton, 10th Viscount Cobham. (30. May 1959)

Founding and first official meeting of the American Football League. (14. August 1959)

A fire in a resort hotel in Stalheim (Norway) kills 34 people. (23. June 1959)

Convicted Manhattan Project spy Klaus Fuchs is released after only nine years in prison and allowed to emigrate to Dresden, East Germany where he resumes a scientific career. (23. June 1959)

The Party of the African Federation is launched by Léopold Sédar Senghor and Modibo Keïta. (24. March 1959)

Project Mercury: NASA announces the selection of the United States' first seven astronauts, whom the news media quickly dub the "Mercury Seven". (9. April 1959)

President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed a bill into law allowing for Hawaiian statehood, which would become official on August 21. (18. March 1959)

A team of computer manufacturers, users, and university people led by Grace Hopper meets to discuss the creation of a new programming language that would be called COBOL. (8. April 1959)

Explorer program: Explorer 6 launches from the Atlantic Missile Range in Cape Canaveral, Florida. (7. August 1959)

Tibetan uprising: Fearing an abduction attempt by China, 300,000 Tibetans surround the Dalai Lama's palace to prevent his removal. (10. March 1959)

A group of Dominican exiles depart from Cuba and land in the Dominican Republic with the intent of overthrowing the totalitarian government of Rafael Trujillo. All but four are killed or executed. (14. June 1959)

Launch of the National Liberation Committee of Côte d'Ivoire in Conakry, Guinea. (18. May 1959)