May 17, 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 17, 1959
NY Times Headlines — Week of May 17, 1959
Herter Proposes New Arms Talks; Gromyko Is Cool; U.S. Secretary Also Urges Soviet To Accept Limit On European Zone Forces Parley Is Deadlocked West Finishes Presentation Of Peace Plan -- Russian Still Stresses Treaty Herter Proposes New Arms Talks
World Events — May 1959
Time Person of the Year — 1959
On the radio
Billboard Charts — May 17, 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 17, 1959
On the field
Sports Champions — May 17, 1959
Interested in postcards, posters or t-shirts? Leave your email and we’ll let you know.