Nov 20,1942 - Present
THE 46TH PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES
1953 Frances P. Bolton and son Oliver become first mother and son to serve simultaneously in US Congress.
1953 Samuel Beckett's revolutionary masterpiece, "Waiting for Godot," made its grand debut in the vibrant city of Paris, ushering in a new era of transformation for contemporary theater.
1953 An article in Pravda accuses prominent doctors in the Soviet Union, mostly Jews, of a vast plot to poison leaders.
1953 Josip Broz Tito assumed the role of the first President of Yugoslavia on January 14, 1953, shaping the nation's early history.
1953 An astounding 72 percent of television sets in the United States are tuned in to witness the iconic episode of "I Love Lucy" in which Lucy gives birth, marking a cultural phenomenon and a memorable moment in television history.
1953 A devastating North Sea flood took place on January 31, 1953, resulting in over 1,800 fatalities in the Netherlands and over 300 in the United Kingdom, leaving a profound impact on both nations.
1953 Cold War tensions escalate as U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower denies all appeals for clemency for Julius and Ethel Rosenberg, heightening the espionage saga.
1953 Diplomatic ties between Israel and the Soviet Union unravel, underscoring the complexities of global geopolitics during the Cold War era.
1953 The United States witnesses the establishment of the Georgia Literature Commission, a significant development in the realm of book censorship.
1953 James Watson and Francis Crick announce to friends that they have determined the chemical structure of DNA; the formal announcement takes place on April 25 following publication in April's Nature (pub. April 2).
1953 Soviet Premier Joseph Stalin's frailty is exposed as he suffers a stroke and collapses; four days later, the world mourns the passing of one of the 20th century's most influential figures.
1953 Karachi, Pakistan, witnesses a somber day as a De Havilland Comet operated by Canadian Pacific Air Lines crashes, claiming the lives of 11 individuals, underscoring the importance of aviation safety.
1953 The Soviet Union mourns the passing of its longest-serving leader, Joseph Stalin, who succumbs to a cerebral hemorrhage at his Volynskoe dacha in Moscow, marking the end of an era.
1953 Western Turkey bears witness to a catastrophic earthquake that claims the lives of at least 1,070 individuals, leaving communities in shock and highlighting the region's vulnerability to natural disasters.
1953 Jomo Kenyatta's conviction by British Kenya's rulers in 1953 marked a critical moment in the struggle for Kenya's independence from colonial rule.
1953 The covert world of espionage saw the initiation of Project MKUltra by CIA director Allen Dulles on April 13, 1953, a chapter shrouded in secrecy and intrigue.
1953 A distinguished accolade is bestowed as Queen Elizabeth II knights the resolute statesman Winston Churchill, a towering figure in British history, in recognition of his unwavering service to the nation.
1953 Francis Crick and James Watson's groundbreaking publication described the double helix structure of DNA, a monumental discovery that revolutionized the field of genetics.
1953 Operation Moolah offers a substantial reward of $50,000 to any pilot who defects with a fully mission-capable Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15 to South Korea during the Korean War. The first pilot to succeed is to receive $100,000.
1953 Television history was made as the first U.S. experimental 3D television broadcast, featuring an episode of Space Patrol, graced the screens of Los Angeles viewers, offering a tantalizing glimpse into the future of entertainment.
1953 The Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1953 was awarded to Ernest Hemingway for his literary masterpiece, "The Old Man and the Sea," solidifying his status as a literary giant.
1953 May 14, 1953, witnessed a significant labor strike as approximately 7,100 brewery workers in Milwaukee walked out, commencing the 1953 Milwaukee brewery strike, a pivotal moment in labor history.
1953 At the Nevada Test Site, the United States conducts its first and only nuclear artillery test, a pivotal moment in the history of nuclear weapons testing and the Cold War era.
1953 The dawn of a new era in television arrives as the first public television station in the United States, KUHT, officially begins broadcasting from the campus of the University of Houston.
1953 On May 29th, 1953, legendary climbers Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay achieved a historic feat by becoming the first people to reach the summit of Mount Everest. Their monumental accomplishment marked a milestone in the history of mountaineering.
1953 Televised Monarchy: Queen Elizabeth II's coronation at Westminster Abbey becomes a global sensation as one of the first major televised events.
1953 An F5 tornado's devastating impact in Beecher, Michigan, resulted in significant loss of life and property damage.
1953 The US Supreme Court's ruling against racial discrimination in restaurants, in the District of Columbia v. John R. Thompson Co. case, was a landmark moment in civil rights history.
1953 Flint, Michigan, witnesses a devastating tornado outbreak, claiming the lives of 116 people and leaving a trail of destruction.
1953 The Cold War tensions escalated in 1953 when East Germany witnessed a workers' uprising. The Soviet Union responded by deploying troops into East Berlin to quell the rebellion, highlighting the political dynamics of the era.
1953 The Egyptian revolution of 1952's culmination with the declaration of the Republic of Egypt and the overthrow of the Muhammad Ali dynasty reshaped the nation's political landscape.
1953 The tragic crash of a United States Air Force C-124 near Tachikawa, Japan, resulting in the loss of 129 lives, serves as a solemn reminder of the risks associated with military operations.
1953 In the midst of the Cold War, Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were executed at Sing Sing in New York.
1953 Lavrentiy Beria, head of MVD, is arrested by Nikita Khrushchev and other members of the Politburo, marking a significant shift in the power dynamics of the Soviet Union and its leadership.
1953 The year 1953 marked a milestone in automotive history as the first Chevrolet Corvette rolled off the assembly line in Flint, Michigan, heralding the birth of an iconic American sports car.
1953 Ernesto "Che" Guevara embarks on a transformative journey through several Latin American countries, setting the stage for his revolutionary career.
1953 Tragedy strikes the United States as an aircraft crash in Florida results in the largest number of midshipman casualties in a single event, claiming the lives of 44 individuals.
1953 The Cuban Revolution commences as Fidel Castro leads an audacious attack on the Moncada Barracks, sparking the 26th of July Movement.
1953 Arizona Governor John Howard Pyle launches an anti-polygamy law enforcement crackdown on residents of Short Creek, Arizona, an event known as the Short Creek raid.
1953 Just hours before the signing of the Armistice Agreement, Australian soldiers from the 2nd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment, valiantly repel multiple Chinese assaults against a strategic position known as The Hook during the Battle of the Samichon River, effectively ending the Korean War.
1953 The Korean War reached a significant milestone in 1953 when the cessation of hostilities was achieved. The United States, China, and North Korea signed an armistice agreement, bringing an end to the active conflict. However, South Korea's President, Syngman Rhee, refused to sign but pledged to observe the armistice.
1953 The First Indochina War saw a significant development in 1953 AD as the French Union withdrew its forces from Operation Camargue against the Viet Minh in central Vietnam.
1953 The Soviet atomic bomb project advances with the successful detonation of "RDS-6s" (Joe 4), a groundbreaking thermonuclear bomb test using a layered scheme.
1953 The southern Ionian Islands are rocked by the devastating 7.2 Ms Ionian earthquake, resulting in a maximum Mercalli intensity of X (Extreme) and causing the loss of hundreds of lives.
1953 Southern California bore witness to a historic event on August 17, 1953, as the first meeting of Narcotics Anonymous took place, laying the foundation for a worldwide support network for individuals battling addiction.
1953 Amidst the Cold War, the CIA and MI6 orchestrate a covert operation, toppling the government of Mohammad Mosaddegh in Iran, and reinstating the Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, reshaping the nation's political landscape.
1953 The permanent closure of Devil's Island, a notorious penal colony, signifies the end of an era in French colonial history.
1953 Nikita Khrushchev's election as the first secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union in 1953 marked a significant transition in Soviet leadership.
1953 A chapter of love and destiny unfolds as U.S. Senator John Fitzgerald Kennedy and Jacqueline Lee Bouvier exchange vows at St. Mary's Church in Newport, Rhode Island, in a wedding celebrated with hope for a bright future.
1953 On this day in 1953, Nikita Khrushchev ascended to the position of General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, a pivotal role in the leadership of the USSR during the Cold War era.
1953 Tragedy unfolds as American Airlines Flight 723 crashes in Colonie, New York, claiming the lives of 28 individuals and leaving a lasting impact on aviation safety.
1953 Defection drama: North Korean pilot Lieutenant No Kum-sok flees to South Korea with his jet fighter.
1953 Rationing of sugar in the United Kingdom comes to an end.
1953 Andhra State is formed, carving out a Telugu-speaking region from India's Madras State, fostering linguistic and regional identity while reshaping the political map of India.
1953 A United States-South Korea mutual defense treaty is signed in Washington, D.C., cementing their alliance and marking a pivotal moment in Cold War geopolitics.
1953 Cuban revolutionary Fidel Castro's impassioned speech, "History Will Absolve Me," in 1953 marked a pivotal moment in his struggle against the Fulgencio Batista government.
1953 BCPA Flight 304 DC-6 meets a tragic end near San Francisco, marking a somber moment in aviation history. This air disaster serves as a reminder of the risks associated with early commercial aviation and the importance of safety measures in the industry.
1953 President Eisenhower enacts a top-secret policy, NSC 162/2, aimed at maintaining a robust nuclear deterrent force against the Soviet Union, shaping the course of the Cold War.
1953 On November 9, 1953, Cambodia gained independence from France, marking a significant milestone in the nation's history.
1953 The remaining inhabitants of the Blasket Islands in Kerry, Ireland, are evacuated to the mainland, marking a significant moment in the changing landscape of Ireland's remote islands.
1953 The announcement that the "Piltdown Man" skull, once believed to be a critical hominid fossil, was a hoax sent shockwaves through the scientific community.
1953 The deposition and exile of Edward Mutesa II, the Kabaka (king) of Buganda, to London by Sir Andrew Cohen, Governor of Uganda, marks a significant political upheaval in Buganda's history.
1953 President Dwight D. Eisenhower's "Atoms for Peace" speech initiates a global program sharing nuclear power knowledge.
1953 In the midst of the Red Scare, General Electric made a bold announcement, declaring that all communist employees would be discharged from the company, reflecting the era's heightened paranoia.
1953 British Prime Minister Winston Churchill received the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1953, recognizing his literary contributions and statesmanship during a pivotal period in history.
1953 The Tangiwai disaster in New Zealand, caused by a lahar-induced railway bridge collapse, leads to the tragic loss of 151 lives.
1953 Joseph Stalin's successor, Georgy Malenkov, assumes the position of Premier of the Soviet Union and First Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, marking a pivotal moment in the post-Stalin era.
1953 Jacqueline Cochran etches her name in history as the first woman to break the sound barrier, shattering gender norms.
