Life & Times 1959
Indicators
| Average annual income | $5,016 |
| New House | $30,000 |
| New Car | $2,250 |
| Minimum Wage | $1.00 |
| Gallon of Gas | $.25 |
| Gallon of Milk | $1.01 |
| Dozen Eggs | $.89 |
| Loaf of Bread | $.19 |
| Postage Stamp (ground) | $.04 |
Events
Cuba: Fulgencio Batista overthrown by Fidel Castro
The Dalai Lama flees to India after China crushes an uprising in Tibet
Alaska & Hawaii become States of USA
Titan intercontinental ballistic missile successfully tested
Lee Petty wins the first Daytona 500
"Twenty-One" game show contestant Charles Van Doren admits he was given answers in advance
Ford Motor Company announces the discontinuation of the Edsel
Little Rock schools reopen after segregationists are removed from the school board
Three black girls quietly attend Hall High School with no fanfare
Buddy Holly, Richie Valens, and the Big Bopper are killed in a plane crash during an Iowa snowstorm
The USS George Washington is launched as the first submarine to carry ballistic missiles
VISA and the American Express cards are introduced
The first Grammy Award is given to the song "Volare"
The Boeing 707 goes into production
The first commercial jet airline service begins between New York and Miami using the Boeing 707
The Vapors Club opens in Hot Springs, a casino operates in a back room for the next 8 years
Barbie doll debuts at the American Toy Fair in New York City
Pantyhose introduced
Sony introduces the first transistorized TV set
Books
Advertisement for Myself - Norman Mailer
Advise and Consent - Allen Drury
The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz - Mordecai Richler
Exodus - Leon Uris
Goldfinger - Ian Fleming
Goodbye, Columbus - Philip Roth
Hawaii - James A. Michener
Movies
Ben-Hur (Best picture, Best actor, Charleton Heston)
Room At The Top (Best actress, Simone Signoret)
North by Northwest
Darby O'Gill and the Little People
Anatomy of a Murder
Journey to the Center of the Earth
Sleeping Beauty
Breathless
The Diary Of Anne Frank
The Shaggy Dog
Rio Bravo
Some Like It Hot
The Hanging Tree
Suddenly, Last Summer
The Young Philadelphians
Imitation of Life
The Nun's Story
Porgy and Bess
Music
1 The Battle of New Orleans - Johnny Horton
2 Mack the Knife - Bobby Darin
3 Personality - Lloyd Price
4 Venus - Frankie Avalon
5 Lonely Boy - Paul Anka
6 Dream Lover - Bobby Darin
7 The Three Bells - Browns
8 Come Softly to Me - Fleetwoods
9 Kansas City - Wilbert Harrison
10 Mr. Blue - Fleetwoods
11 Sleep Walk - Santo & Johnny
12 Put Your Head on My Shoulder - Paul Anka
13 Stagger Lee - Lloyd Price
14 Donna - Ritchie Valens
15 Pink Shoelaces - Dodie Stevens
16 Smoke Gets in Your Eyes - Platters
17 Charlie Brown - Coasters
18 Quiet Village - Martin Denny
19 My Heart is an Open Book - Carl Dobkins Jr.
20 ('Til) I Kissed You - Everly Brothers
21 Sea of Love - Phil Phillips
22 The Happy Organ - Dave "Baby" Cortez
23 I'm Gonna Get Married - Lloyd Price
24 Sorry (I Ran All the Way Home) - Impalas
25 A Teenager in Love - Dion & the Belmonts
26 16 Candles - Crests
27 It's Just a Matter of Time - Brook Benton
28 Lipstick on Your Collar - Connie Francis
29 There Goes My Baby - Drifters
30 A Big Hunk O' Love - Elvis Presley
31 Red River Rock - Johnny & the Hurricanes
32 Waterloo Stonewall Jackson
33 Lavender Blue - Sammy Turner
34 A Fool Such As I - Elvis Presley
35 Guitar Boogie Shuffle - Virtues
36 Teen Beat - Sandy Nelson
37 Kookie Kookie - Edward Burns & Connie Stevens
38 Tragedy - Thomas Wayne
39 My Happiness - Connie Francis
40 Tallahassee Lassie - Freddie Cannon