There’s a reason why the 1950s still captivate: It’s a decade where an unusual amount of noteworthy things happened.
From the world stage to our American backyards, here were just some of the amazing occurrences that made headlines then — and much later.
1950: The Baby Boom
Though it started in 1946, the ’50s makes records for the number of babies born per year — around 4 million on average. The top names of the decade: James and Mary.
1950: A New Princess
On February 15, Disney’s Cinderella premieres and quickly becomes one of the highest-grossing movies of that year.
1951: A Runaway Hit
On July 16, The Catcher in the Rye by then-31-year-old J.D. Salinger is published, giving a new hero to teens everywhere, ones who are just tired of all the phonies.
1951: In Living Color
RCA broadcasts the first color TV episode on June 25. However, the only photos we could find were in black and white!
1952: Golden Girl
Betty White wins her first Emmy — a regional Los Angeles Emmy — for her role on her show Life With Elizabeth.
1952: New Era for Architecture
The Lever House is completed and opens on April 29, ushering in the glass-walled International Style that would become the trend for businesses through the decade.
1953: A New Queen
June 2 marks the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. Hundreds of millions tune in on their televisions and radios to follow the day’s momentous events.
1953: A Star Is Born
Audrey Hepburn makes her silver screen debut in Roman Holiday, and would go on to win the Academy Award for her memorable portrayal of Princess Ann.
1954: Marilyn Weds
On January 14, Marilyn Monroe marries Joe DiMaggio at San Francisco City Hall.
1954: Hemingway Wins
After nominations in 1947 and 1950, Hemingway wins the Nobel Prize for Literature this year. In this photo, taken at his home in Cuba, Hemingway hears the news from the radio.
1955: Kermit Debuts
Kermit the Frog makes his earliest debut on “Sam and Friends,” Jim Henson’s live action/puppet show that aired on WRC-TV in Washington, D.C.
1955: Dawn of the Fast Food Era
On April 15, the first McDonald’s opens in Des Plaines, Illinois. The price of a burger? 15 cents.
1956: The King Hits the Small Screen
On January 28, Elvis Presley first appears on national TV in all his swivel-hipped glory. He’s shown here in a June performance on The Milton Berle Show.
1956: The Birth of the Mall
Your errands became much easier to get through when the first “modern” indoor shopping mall opens in Minnesota on October 8. We can’t help but love this very-of-the-era design.
1957: A Loss for New York
On May 28, National League owners vote to allow the New York Giants and the Brooklyn Dodgers to move to San Francisco and Los Angeles, disappointing fans on the East Coast while delighting baseball fans on the West Coast.
1957: Sputnik Launches
On October 19, the Soviet Union sends up Sputnik 1. Here, Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory scientists Dr. J. Allen Hynek and Dr. Fred Whipple plot the orbit of the satellite.
1958: A Good Year for (Future) Music
This is especially true of ’80s music stars, but it’s just a very popular year for future musicians. Prince is born on June 7; Madonna is born on August 16; Michael Jackson is born on August 29.
And then there’s: Grandmaster Flash, Ice-T, Simon Le Bon, Alan Jackson, Joan Jett, Nikki Sixx, Bruce Dickinson, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Randy DeBarge, Andrea Bocelli, Belinda Carlisle, Anita Baker, Thomas Dolby, Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds, Andy Gibb, Jools Holland, Thurston Moore, Gary Numan, Tanya Tucker, Jane Wiedlin and Kate Bush.
1958: Welcome to the Space Age
The U.S. Congress formally creates NASA on July 29, giving a boost to the space race.
1959: Hello, Doll!
Barbie debuts at the International Toy Fair on March 9.
1959: A Record-Breaking Movie
Ben-Hur is released on November 18, and will end up winning 11 Academy Awards (a record, until 1997’s Titanic breaks it in 1998).