WHAT ALL HAPPENED MAY TO DECEMBER 1958
Find out what all happened May to December 1958

The Central African Republic attains self-rule within the French Union. (1. December 1958)

Pioneer 0, America's first attempt at lunar orbit, is launched using the first Thor-Able rocket and fails. Notable as one of the first attempted launches beyond Earth orbit by any country. (17. August 1958)

The Ironworkers Memorial Second Narrows Crossing, in the process of being built to connect Vancouver and North Vancouver (Canada), collapses into the Burrard Inlet killing many of the ironworkers and injuring others. (17. June 1958)

An F-104 Starfighter sets a world speed record of 1,404.19 mph (2,259.82 km/h). (18. May 1958)

The Soviet Union launches Sputnik 3. (15. May 1958)

Flooding of Canada's St. Lawrence Seaway begins. (1. July 1958)

The District of Columbia's Bar Association votes to accept African-Americans as member attorneys. (14. October 1958)

Dedication of Tokyo Tower, the world's highest self-supporting iron tower. (23. December 1958)

Ben Carlin becomes the first (and only) person to circumnavigate the world by amphibious vehicle, having travelled over 17,000 kilometres (11,000 mi) by sea and 62,000 kilometres (39,000 mi) by land during a ten-year journey (13. May 1958)

Herbert Hoover eclipses John Adams as having the longest retirement of any former U.S President. Hoover would live another ten years, his record 35-year retirement still holding the record as of 2013. (5. August 1958)

Sri Lankan riots of 1958: This riot is a watershed event in the race relationship of the various ethnic communities of Sri Lanka. The total number of deaths is estimated to be 300, mostly Sri Lankan Tamils. (22. May 1958)

A team of rock climbers led by Warren Harding completes the first ascent of The Nose on El Capitan in Yosemite Valley. (12. November 1958)

Brojen Das from Bangladesh swims across the English Channel in a competition, as the first Bangali as well as the first Asian to ever do it. He became first among 39 competitors. (18. August 1958)

Pioneer program: NASA launches the lunar probe Pioneer 1 (the probe falls back to Earth and burns up). (11. October 1958)

Iraqi Revolution: in Iraq the monarchy is overthrown by popular forces led by Abdul Karim Kassem, who becomes the nation's new leader. (14. July 1958)

During a visit to Caracas, Venezuela, Vice President Richard Nixon's car is attacked by anti-American demonstrators. (13. May 1958)

Queen Elizabeth II officially opens London Gatwick Airport, (LGW) in Crawley, West Sussex, United Kingdom. (9. June 1958)

France ratifies a new Constitution of France; the French Fifth Republic is then formed upon the formal adoption of the new constitution on October 4. Guinea rejects the new constitution, voting for independence instead. (28. September 1958)

The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation links television broadcasting across Canada via microwave. (1. July 1958)

The African Regroupment Party (PRA) holds its first congress in Cotonou. (25. July 1958)