- United States Population: 177,829,628
- World Population: 2.997 billion
- Minimum wage in U.S. was $1.00 per hour
- Dwight D. Eisenhower was President and Richard M. Nixon was Vice President in 1959
- January 3: Alaska becomes the 49th state
- March 31: Tibet's Dalai Lama escapes to India
- August 21: Hawaii becomes the 50th state
- Cost of a first class postage stamp was 4 cents
- At the annual Toy Fair in New York City, Ruth Handler introduces "Barbie", a new doll named for her daiughter Barbara
TELEVISION--
- January 9: Rawhide debuts on CBS
- September 12: "Bonanza" debuts on NBC and it's the first weekly television series shown completely in color
- October 1959: "Hawaiian Eye" premieres on ABC
- October 2: "The Twilight Zone" premieres on CBS
- "Dragnet" ends after an eight year run
SPORTS—
- 1959 World Series was: Los Angeles Dodgers. vs. Chicago White Sox (4-2)
- NFL: Baltimore Colts vs. New York Giants. (31-16)
- Stanley Cup: Montreal Canadiens vs. Toronto Maple Leafs (4-1)
- NCAA Basketball Championship: California vs. West Virginia (71-70)
- In tennis, Christine Truman wins the French Open
ACADEMY AWARDS
- Best Motion Picture: "Gigi"
- Best Actor: Tony Curtis in "The Defiant Ones"
- Best Actress: Susan Hayward in " I Want to Live!"
- Actor in a Supporting Role: Theodore Bikel in "The Defiant Ones"
- Actress in a Supporting Role: Peggy Cass in "Auntie Mame"
MUSIC--
- February 2: A plane crash kills Buddy Holly, Richie Valens, and The Big Bopper - this date becomes known as "The Day the Music Died"
- Jimi Hendrix buys first electric guitar: a White Single pickup Supro Ozark 1560 S
- Carole King's musical career begins
- The Supremes' musical career begins, aka "The Primettes"
- Bobby Darin has the hit single "Mack the Knife"
- Lloyd Price has the hit single "You've Got Personality"
- Frank Sinatra releases the album "Come Dance With Me!"
- Johnny Cash releases the album "The Fabulous Johnny Cash"
CELEBRITY BIRTHDAYS IN 1959--
- January 9: Mark Martin, American race car driver
- January 15:Sister Carol, Jamaican reggae singer
- January 16: Sade, Nigerian-born singer
- January 22:Linda Blair, American actress
- January 27:Keith Olbermann, American news presenter
- January 27: Cris Collinsworth, American football player
- February 4: Lawrence Taylor, American football playe
- February 14: Renée Fleming, American soprano
- February 16: John McEnroe, American tennis player
- February 16: Kelly Tripucka, American basketball player
- February 27:Johnny Van Zant, American singer (Lynyrd Skynyrd)
- March 6:Tom Arnold, American actor and comedian
- March 8:Aidan Quinn, American actor
- May 4: Randy Travis, American musician
- June 11: Hugh Laurie, English actor and comedian
- June 27: Lorrie Morgan, American country music singer
- July 7: Jessica Hahn, American model
- July 11:Richie Sambora, American musician (Bon Jovi)
- July 11: Suzanne Vega, American singer
- July 26: Kevin Spacey, American actor
- August 13: Danny Bonaduce, American actor
- August 14: Magic Johnson, American basketball player
- September 22:Tai Babilonia, American figure skater
- October 7: Simon Cowell, English recording executive
- October 13:Marie Osmond, American entertainer
- October 15: Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York
- October 23: Nancy Grace, American former prosecutor
- October 23:"Weird Al" Yankovic, American musical parodist
- November 5:Bryan Adams, Canadian musician
- November 10: Mackenzie Phillips, American actress
- November 11: Lee Haney, American bodybuilder
- December 29: Paula Poundstone, American comedian
- December 30: Tracey Ullman, English actress and singer
- December 31: Val Kilmer, American actor
Check out our collections of nostalgic candy which are perfect for someone born in 1959.
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Sale price: $9.95