May 12, 1959
Gas cost $0.31 a gallon in the spring of 1959, and the Dow Jones stood at 679 — a deadlock over arms talks between U.S. Secretary of State Herter and Soviet Foreign Minister Gromyko dominated international headlines as Cold War tensions over Berlin continued to simmer. On movie screens, "Some Like It Hot" was drawing big crowds, and Frank Sinatra's Grammy-winning album "Come Dance with Me" was a fixture on home turntables across the country. The Boston Celtics defeated the Minneapolis Lakers to claim the NBA championship, and on May 28, two monkeys named Miss Baker and Miss Able were launched into space aboard a Jupiter rocket from Cape Canaveral and successfully recovered, making them the first living creatures to return safely from spaceflight.
On the cover
Magazine Covers — May 12, 1959
NY Times Headlines — Week of May 12, 1959
Castro Calling Halt In Military Trials; Military Trials To Halt In Cuba
Soviet Demands Big 4 Parley Seat Poles And Czechs; West Says No But Gromyko Plans To Press The Point At Geneva Today Recalls Losses In War Herter Replies That Others Suffered Too -- Discussion Of Basic Issues Delayed Soviet Asks Role For 2 Satellites At Geneva; West Says No Gromyko To Push His Demand Today Herter Says An Invitation To All Victims Of Nazism Would Snag Parley
West'S Geneva Peace Plan Links Security And A German Merger To Uniting Of Berlin By Election; Move Is Due Today Gromyko Is Opposed To Tight Package On European Issues Herter Will Present 'Western Peace Plan' At Today'S Meeting Of The Big Four Program Offered For German Unity ' Indissolubly Linked' Series Of Proposals Covers Berlin And European Security
President Prods Congress On Roads, Homes, Wheat; Special Message Asks 'Gas' Tax Rise, F. H. A. Fund And Cut In Surplus -- Rayburn Brands Plea 'Political' President Prods Congress To Act
World Events — May 1959
Time Person of the Year — 1959
On the radio
Billboard Charts — May 12, 1959
Grammy Awards
On the bookshelf
On the television
Nielsen Top 10 — 1958–59 Season
Emmy Winners — 1959
At the movies
Box Office & Oscar Winners — May 12, 1959
On the field
Sports Champions — May 12, 1959
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