Statement

While some view the 1950’s as the frumpiest decade of the twentieth century, 1959 in particular was anything but. The last year of the 50’s saw some of the most important changes to our world, on a global, national, and local level. These changes are scientific, political, social, and cultural in nature.The invention of the microchip by Texas Instruments is one of the most significant scientific contributions. This invention led to huge advancements in lots of devices including, but not limited to, radios, televisions, telephones, rockets, missiles, and satellites. This is also when Japanese and other international automakers began to give the Detroit auto industry some competition by offering superior cars at lower prices; forcing American automakers to change their game plan to continue to compete. With the start of the cold war between the United States and the U.S.S.R. it was only a matter of time before the technology of weapons, both offensive and defensive, advanced as each country tried to one up each other.

Politically, 1959 was one the most eventful years ever. At the beginning of the year the United States officially recognized the new Cuban government of Fidel Castro. Later that year, Castro would embark on a whirlwind tour of America focusing mainly on New York. The charismatic Cuban leader captivated the nation by speaking to more than 30,000 people in Central Park and feeding a tiger at the Bronx Zoo, prompting many news outlets to proclaim him, “larger than life.” 1959 is also when the U.S. suffered the first fatalities in the Vietnam War. This war would captivate the world for the next 16 years until it ended in 1975. At this time the United States also increased their global land mass by adding Alaska and Hawaii, the only two states outside of the continental 48.

This year was also landmark for civil rights; the nation was first introduced to Malcolm X the young minister of the New York chapter of the Nation of Islam. Malcolm X’s opinion on gaining civil rights was in stark contrast to other civil rights leaders of the time by suggesting that militant separatism was a better way to bring about equality than civil disobedience. This difference of opinion would dominate the fight for racial equality for the rest of the 20th century. Even leading entertainment figures were not immune to racial inequality as Miles Davis found out on August 25, 1959. Davis was performing a two-week engagement at Birdland Jazz Club in New York City to celebrate the release of his new album, Kind of Blue when a misunderstanding with a plain clothes police officer led to the musician’s arrest. The officer beat Miles Davis with his tom-tom requiring five stitches on his head. Mr. Davis was later released on $1,000 bail.

Perhaps the most progressive changes in 1959 were cultural. This year saw the opening of the Guggenheim museum designed by architect Frank Lloyd Wright, which many believe to be the most important architectural feat of the twentieth century. Earlier that year the uncensored text of D.H. Lawrence’s 1928 novel Lady Chatterley’s Lover was released sparking a debate in this country about literature vs. obscenity. When the case went to trial in a Manhattan court it was determined that no work can be deemed obscene if it contained “ideas of even the slightest social importance.” Two new important genres were invented in 1959; in literature Norman Mailer’s Advertisements for Myself created the New Journalism and in film, Shadows was released which was hailed by Martin Scorsese as America’s first “indie” film. Popular music saw the release of Miles Davis’s Kind of Blue which would go on to be the most popular jazz album of all time and the invention of “Free Jazz” by Ornette Coleman a new style of music that had no apparent structure but was full of passion and raw human emotion. Also of note in the world of music was the tragic plane crash that caused the death of Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and the Big Bopper; three of the most popular musicians of the time. Of special interest to children of the time was that this was the year the Barbie doll was first released, becoming one of the most popular toys of all time and Walt Disney released his 16th animated film Sleeping Beauty on January 29th.

1959 was a tumultuous year that saw changes in virtually every aspect of life. One thing was clear, after 1959 nothing would ever be the same as the frumpy 50’s were certainly a thing of the past.