Major Events of May 1959: Key Historical Moments from the Month

Each month is marked by defining moments that shape the course of history. Whether through political shifts, cultural movements, or world-changing events, these periods leave a lasting impression. Dive into the most important events from May 1959 and discover how they influenced the world both then and now.

Major Events of May 1959: Key Historical Moments from the Month

01 May 1959 W.E.B. Du Bois Receives Lenin Peace Prize: Prominent African American scholar and civil rights activist W.E.B. Du Bois is awarded the prestigious Lenin Peace Prize during a visit to Moscow, highlighting his international recognition and commitment to social justice.
02 May 1959 Betty Jean Owens Rape Case: A Landmark Moment in Civil Rights: In a significant civil rights moment, four white men were convicted for kidnapping and raping Betty Jean Owens, a black woman, near Florida A & M University. An all-white jury convicted the perpetrators, sentencing them to life in prison on June 22, marking a rare instance of judicial accountability during the segregation era.
03 May 1959 First Grammy Awards Announced: The Recording Academy officially announces the inaugural Grammy Awards, marking a significant milestone in recognizing musical achievement across various genres.
04 May 1959 First Grammy Awards Ceremony: The inaugural Grammy Awards were held, celebrating outstanding achievements in the music industry. Notable winners included Perry Como and Ella Fitzgerald, two legendary performers who significantly influenced American popular music during the mid-20th century.
05 May 1959 US-West Germany Nuclear Cooperation Agreement: The United States and West Germany signed a significant bilateral agreement to share classified nuclear weapons information and provide training for German personnel in nuclear weapon operations, reflecting the strategic military cooperation during the Cold War era.
06 May 1959 Cod Wars: Iceland Confronts British Fishing Vessels: In a significant maritime dispute, Icelandic gunboats fired warning shots at British fishing ships, escalating tensions over fishing rights in the North Atlantic. This incident marked an early stage of the 'Cod Wars', a series of confrontations between Iceland and the United Kingdom over territorial fishing zones and maritime sovereignty.
07 May 1959 C.P. Snow's Two Cultures Lecture: Renowned English scientist and novelist C.P. Snow delivered a groundbreaking Rede Lecture at Cambridge University, exploring the critical divide between scientific and humanistic intellectual traditions. His lecture highlighted the growing communication gap and mutual incomprehension between these two fundamental domains of knowledge, sparking significant academic and cultural discourse.
08 May 1959 French New Wave Cinema Milestone: At the Cannes Film Festival, a significant cultural moment occurred when *Hiroshima mon amour*, directed by Alain Resnais, was controversially excluded from competition due to its pacifist message. This event, alongside François Truffaut's *The 400 Blows* (presented on May 4), marked the emergence of the influential French New Wave cinema movement, challenging traditional filmmaking conventions.
09 May 1959 St. Lawrence Seaway Opening: The St. Lawrence Seaway, a massive engineering project connecting the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean, was officially opened, revolutionizing maritime transportation and trade routes between North America and the global maritime network.
10 May 1959 Soviet Military Presence in Afghanistan: Soviet forces arrived in Afghanistan, marking an early stage of Soviet involvement in the country that would later escalate into a full-scale invasion in 1979.
11 May 1959 Geneva Conference on German Reunification: Foreign ministers from Britain, the United States, France, and the Soviet Union convened in Geneva for a 17-day conference aimed at discussing the reunification of Germany, though no definitive agreement was reached, reflecting the complex geopolitical tensions of the Cold War era.
12 May 1959 Capital Airlines Flight 75 Disaster: On May 12, 1959, Capital Airlines Flight 75, a Vickers Viscount turboprop aircraft, tragically disintegrated mid-flight at an altitude of approximately 5,000 feet while en route from New York to Atlanta. The aircraft experienced severe and unexpected turbulence that led to its catastrophic structural failure, resulting in the loss of all passengers and crew. This incident highlighted the critical importance of understanding atmospheric conditions and aircraft structural limitations during that era of commercial aviation.
13 May 1959 Pathet Lao Troops Deadline in Laos: A critical moment in Laotian political history occurred when the deadline for Communist Pathet Lao troops to surrender or integrate into the Royal Army of Laos expired at noon. Of the two battalions involved, one battalion at Xieng Ngeun surrendered peacefully, while the other chose to continue armed resistance, highlighting the complex political tensions in the region during the Cold War era.
14 May 1959 Warsaw Pact Established: The Warsaw Pact was a collective defense treaty signed by the Soviet Union and seven other Eastern European countries, creating a military alliance in response to the formation of NATO. This agreement formalized the Soviet Union's control over its satellite states and established a unified military command structure during the Cold War era.
15 May 1959 Andrew Eldritch Birth: Andrew Eldritch, the influential rock musician and lead singer of the gothic rock band Sisters of Mercy, was born on May 15, 1959. Known for iconic songs like 'Walk Away' and 'Black Planet', Eldritch would become a pivotal figure in the alternative and gothic rock music scenes of the 1980s and 1990s.
16 May 1959 85th Preakness Stakes Horse Race: William Harmatz rode Royal Orbit to victory in the 85th Preakness Stakes, completing the race in an impressive time of 1 minute and 57 seconds. This significant horse racing event took place at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland.
17 May 1959 Cold War Diplomatic Crisis: Paris Summit Collapse: A critical four-part summit meeting in Paris dramatically unraveled after the Soviet Union shot down an American U-2 spy plane. President Dwight D. Eisenhower refused Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev's demand for an apology regarding past perceived aggressions, leading to a significant diplomatic breakdown during the height of Cold War tensions.
18 May 1959 National Liberation Committee of Côte d'Ivoire Launched: The National Liberation Committee of Côte d'Ivoire was officially launched in Conakry, Guinea, marking a significant moment in the country's political movement towards independence and self-determination.
19 May 1959 Establishment of Group 559 and Ho Chi Minh Trail: The North Vietnamese Army establishes Group 559, a strategic military logistics unit tasked with developing and maintaining critical supply routes to support military operations in South Vietnam. This group would go on to create the legendary Ho Chi Minh trail, a complex network of jungle paths, roads, and waterways that became a crucial logistical lifeline for North Vietnamese forces during the Vietnam War.
20 May 1959 Japanese-Americans Citizenship Restoration: In a significant moment of civil rights progress, Japanese-Americans who had been stripped of their citizenship during World War II were legally reinstated as U.S. citizens, addressing a long-standing injustice from the wartime internment period.
21 May 1959 Gypsy Musical Broadway Premiere: The legendary musical 'Gypsy' opened at the Broadway Theater in New York City, marking a significant moment in American theatrical history. The production would go on to run for an impressive 702 performances, becoming a landmark in musical theater.
22 May 1959 Benjamin O. Davis Jr. Becomes First Black Major General in USAF: Benjamin O. Davis Jr. achieved a significant milestone by becoming the first African American Major General in the United States Air Force, breaking racial barriers in military leadership during the late 1950s.
23 May 1959 Presbyterian Church Advances Gender Equality: The Presbyterian Church made a significant progressive step by officially accepting women as ordained preachers, representing an important milestone in religious gender inclusivity.
24 May 1959 Anglo-Soviet Long Term Trade Agreement Signed: A significant diplomatic and economic milestone as the United Kingdom and the Soviet Union sign a long-term trade agreement, representing an important moment of détente during the Cold War period.
25 May 1959 Supreme Court Strikes Down Racial Segregation in Boxing: The United States Supreme Court ruled that Louisiana's law prohibiting boxing matches between black and white athletes was unconstitutional, marking a significant moment in the ongoing civil rights struggle and challenging racial discrimination in sports.
26 May 1959 Harvey Haddix's Historic Perfect Game Bid: In an extraordinary baseball performance, Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Harvey Haddix pitched 12 perfect innings against the Milwaukee Braves, retiring 36 consecutive batters. Despite this remarkable achievement, he ultimately lost the game in the 13th inning.
27 May 1959 Khrushchev's Berlin Ultimatum Expires: Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev's diplomatic ultimatum regarding the status of Berlin expired on this date. Originally issued on November 27, 1958, the ultimatum demanded that Western powers recognize East Germany's sovereignty and withdraw from Berlin, heightening Cold War tensions. The expiration of this deadline marked a critical moment in the geopolitical standoff between the Soviet Union and Western allies, without immediate military confrontation.
28 May 1959 First Animals Successfully Retrieved from Space Mission: Monkeys Able and Baker made history by traveling 300 miles (500 km) into space on a Jupiter missile, becoming the first animals successfully retrieved from a space mission. These pioneering primates demonstrated the potential for living beings to survive space travel and return safely to Earth.
29 May 1959 Charles de Gaulle Forms French Government: Charles de Gaulle, a prominent French military and political leader, successfully forms a new government in France, marking a significant moment in the country's post-World War II political landscape. This event represents a crucial step in de Gaulle's return to political power and his efforts to reshape France's governance.
30 May 1959 World's First Hovercraft Tested in England: The SR-N1, the world's first practical hovercraft, was successfully tested at Cowes, England, marking a significant milestone in transportation technology. This innovative vehicle, developed by Sir Christopher Cockerell, demonstrated the potential of a craft that could travel over both water and land using a cushion of air.
31 May 1959 Record-Breaking Memorial Day Weekend Fatalities: The 1959 Memorial Day Weekend tragically set a new record for accidental deaths, with 460 fatalities reported nationwide. This alarming statistic highlighted growing concerns about public safety during holiday periods, particularly related to traffic accidents, recreational mishaps, and other unintentional fatal incidents.