WHAT ALL HAPPENED FEBRUARY TO DECEMBER 1959
Find out what all happened February to December 1959

Akihito, future Emperor of Japan, marries Michiko. (10. April 1959)

The R-7 Semyorka, the first intercontinental ballistic missile, becomes operational at Plesetsk, USSR. (9. February 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)

The St. Lawrence Seaway, linking the North American Great Lakes and the Atlantic Ocean, officially opens to shipping. (25. April 1959)

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

The murders of the Clutter Family in Holcomb, Kansas, which inspired Truman Capote's non-fiction book In Cold Blood. (15. November 1959)

Quiz show scandals: Twenty One game show contestant Charles Van Doren admits to a Congressional committee that he had been given questions and answers in advance. (2. November 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)

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

United States President Dwight D. Eisenhower signs an executive order proclaiming Hawaii the 50th state of the union. Hawaii's admission is currently commemorated by Hawaii Admission Day (21. August 1959)

A United States Air Force F-100 Super Sabre from Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, crashes into a nearby elementary school, killing 11 students plus six residents from the local neighborhood. (30. June 1959)

Iakovos is enthroned as Greek Orthodox Archbishop of America. (1. April 1959)

The 1st Grammy Awards are held. (4. May 1959)

The USS Barbero and United States Postal Service attempt the delivery of mail via Missile Mail. (8. June 1959)

A rare June hurricane strikes Canada's Gulf of St. Lawrence killing 35. (20. June 1959)

Fidel Castro becomes Premier of Cuba after dictator Fulgencio Batista was overthrown on January 1. (16. February 1959)

Vanguard 3 is launched into Earth orbit. (18. September 1959)

The North Vietnamese Army establishes Group 559, whose responsibility is to determine how to maintain supply lines to South Vietnam; the resulting route is the Ho Chi Minh trail. (19. May 1959)

U.S.S.R. probe Luna 3 transmits the first ever photographs of the far side of the Moon. (7. October 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)