August 2, 1955
The federal minimum wage stood at $0.75/hr that summer of 1955, and the Dow Jones sat at 488 — the United States was in the middle of a stable postwar economic expansion, with full employment and consumer spending both running high. On screen and over the airwaves, audiences were watching the quiz sensation "The $64,000 Question" dominate television ratings, while Bill Haley & His Comets held the top spot on the charts with "Rock Around the Clock," a song that was beginning to signal a genuine shift in popular music taste. On August 27, the first edition of the "Guinness Book of Records" was published in London, creating what would become one of the bestselling reference books in history and giving the world a single authoritative place to measure human and natural achievement.
On the cover
Magazine Covers — August 2, 1955
NY Times Headlines — Week of August 2, 1955
Congress Finishes Session;; President Gains Foes In Party Reduced -- Historic Moments Marked Sitting Congress Closes Overtime Session
Bulganin Rejects Eisenhower Plan To Inspect Arms; Scorns Air Check But Soviet Leader Calls President Sincere -- Asks 'Cold War' End Bulganin Rejects Eisenhower Plan
Eisenhower Bars Asia Summit Talk; Hope Put In Bilateral Parleys With Peiping, But President Reassures Formosa Eisenhower Bars Asia Summit Talk
Nuclear History Due To Be Made In Geneva Parley; First International Congress On Peaceful Use Of Atom Will Open Tomorrow
World Events — August 1955
Time Person of the Year — 1955
On the radio
Billboard Charts — August 2, 1955
On the bookshelf
On the television
Nielsen Top 10 — 1954–55 Season
Emmy Winners — 1955
At the movies
Box Office & Oscar Winners — August 2, 1955
On the field
Sports Champions — August 2, 1955
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