1954

March 1 - Officials announce that an American hydrogen bomb test has been conducted on Bikini Atoll in the Pacific Ocean. March 1 - U.S. Capitol shooting incident: Four Puerto Rican nationalists open fire in the United States House of Representatives chamber and wound five; they are apprehended by security guards. March 9 - American journalists Edward Murrow and Fred W. Friendly produce a 30-minute See It Now documentary titled A Report on Senator Joseph McCarthy. March 12 - Finland and Germany officially end the state of war. March 13 - French troops begin battle against Vietminh in Dien Bien Phu. March 19 - Joey Giardello knocks out Willie Tory at Madison Square Garden in the first televised prize boxing fight shown in color. March 23 - In Vietnam, the Viet Minh capture the main airstrip of Dien Bien Phu - French forces are partially isolated. March 25 - The 26th Academy Awards ceremony is held. March 25 - RCA manufactures the first color TV set (12" screen; price: $1,000). March 25 - Soviet Union recognizes sovereignty of East Germany but Soviet troops remain in the country. March 28 - Puerto Rico's first television station, WKAQ-TV, goes on the air. March 29 - C-47 with French nurse Genevieve de Galard on board is incapacitated on Dien Bien Phu runway. March 30 - Canada's first subway line opens in Toronto.

[edit] April

April 1 - President Dwight D. Eisenhower authorizes the creation of the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado. April 3 - Vladimir Petrov defects from the Soviet Union and asks to seek political asylum in Australia. April 4 - Legendary conductor Arturo Toscanini experiences a lapse of memory during a concert. At concert's end, his retirement is announced, and Toscanini never conducts in public again. April 7 - Dwight D. Eisenhower gives his "domino theory" speech during a news conference. April 14 - Aneurin Bevan resigns from the UK Labour shadow cabinet. April 16 - Vice President Richard Nixon announces that the United States may be â€œputting our own boys in Indochina regardless of Allied support.â€ April 22 - Senator Joseph McCarthy begins hearings investigating the United States Army for being "soft" on Communism.

[edit] May

May 6 - Roger Bannister runs the first four-minute mile. May 7 - Vietnam War: The Battle of Dien Bien Phu ends in a French defeat (the battle began on March 13). May 14 - The Boeing 707 is released after about two years of development. May 17 - United States Supreme Court hands down its decision in Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas 347 US 483 1954. May 17 - The Petrov Royal Commission in Australia begins its inquiry. May 20 - Chiang Kai-shek is reelected president of the Republic of China by the National Assembly. May 22 - The common Nordic Labour Market act is signed. May 29 - Robert Menzies's government is re-elected for a 4th term in Australia.

[edit] June

June 9 - McCarthyism: Joseph Welch, special counsel for the United States Army, lashes out at Senator Joseph McCarthy during hearings on whether Communism has infiltrated the Army. June 14 - The words "under God" are added to the United States Pledge of Allegiance. June 15 - UEFA (the Union of European Football Associations) is formed in Basel, Switzerland. June 17 - A military coup occurs in Guatemala. June 18 - Pierre MendÃ¨s-France becomes prime minister of France. June 27 - Guatemalan President Jacobo Arbenz GuzmÃ¡n steps down in a CIA-sponsored military coup, triggering a bloody civil war that would continue for more than 35 years. June 27 - The world's first atomic power station opens at Obninsk, near Moscow.

[edit] July

July 1 - The common Nordic Labour Market act comes into power. July 1 The United States officially begins using the international unit of the nautical mile equal to 6076.11549 ft. or 1852 meters July 4 - End of rationing of meat - the last form of food rationing in Britain. July 4 - West Germany beats Hungary 3-2 to win the 1954 FIFA World Cup. July 5 - The Andhra Pradesh High Court is established. July 15 - The maiden flight of Boeing 707 occurs. July 21 - First Indochina War: The Geneva Conference partitions Vietnam into North Vietnam and South Vietnam. July 28 - The Situationist International is founded.

[edit] August

August - First flight of a B-52 Stratofortress. August 6 - Emilie Dionne, one of the Dionne Quintuplets, dies of asphyxiation following an epileptic seizure at Sainte Agathe, Quebec. August 16 - Volume 1, Issue 1 of Sports Illustrated is published. August 24 - President of Brazil, Getulio Vargas, commits suicide; he's been accused of conspiracy to murder an air force officer.

[edit] September

September 3 - The last new episode of The Lone Ranger is aired on radio after 2,956 episodes over a period of 21 years September 6 - SEATO treaty signed in Manila, Philippines KOVR went on the air. September 8 - The Southeast Asia Treaty Organization (SEATO) is established in Bangkok, Thailand. September 9 - An earthquake centered on the city of Orleansville in Algeria: 1500 dead and thousands homeless. September 11 - First Miss America Pageant broadcast on television. September 14 - USSR tests nuclear weapon. September 24 - Edward Pilgrim commits suicide hastened by bureaucracy. September 25 - Footscray Football Club wins their first Grand Final. September 26 - Japanese ferry Toya Maru sinks during a typhoon in the Tsugaru Strait killing more than 1,100. September 30 - USS Nautilus, 1st atomic-powered vessel (submarine), commissioned by the US Navy.

[edit] October

October 11 - Vietnam War: The Viet Minh takes control of North Vietnam. October 11 - Hurricane Hazel crosses over Haiti, killing 1,000. October 15 - Hurricane Hazel makes U.S. landfall - it is the only recorded Category 4 hurricane to strike as far north as North Carolina. October 18 - Texas Instruments announces the development of the first Transistor radio. October 20 - Dock workers' strike expands in England. October 23 - West Germany joins NATO. October 25 - Landslides caused by heavy rains hit Salerno, Italy, killing about 300. October 26 - Member of Muslim Brotherhood Mahmoud Abdul Latif tries to kill Gamal Abdal Nasser. October 31 - Algerian War of Independence: The Algerian National Liberation Front begins a revolt against French rule.

[edit] November

November 1 - The FLN attacks Representative and public buildings of the France colonial power. November 2 - Dock workers' strike in England ends. November 5 - Japan and Burma sign in Rangoon a separate treaty of peace to end the formal state of war. November 10 - US President Dwight D. Eisenhower dedicates the USMC War Memorial (Iwo Jima memorial) in Arlington National Cemetery. November 12 - The main immigration port-of-entry in New York Harbor at Ellis Island closes. November 14 - Egyptian president Mohammed Naguib is deposed - Gamal Abdel Nasser replaces him. November 23 - The Dow Jones Industrial Average rises 3.27 points, or 0.86%, closing at an all-time high of 382.74. More significantly, this is the first time the Dow has surpassed its 1929 peak level reached just before that year's crash. November 30 - In Sylacauga, Alabama, a 4 kg piece of the Hodges Meteorite crashes through the roof of a house and badly bruises a napping woman, in the first documented case of an object from outer space hitting a person.

[edit] December

December 1 The first Hyatt Hotel, The Hyatt House Los Angeles, opens. It is the first hotel in the world built outside of an airport.

December 2

Red Scare: The United States Senate votes 67 to 22 to condemn Joseph McCarthy for "conduct that tends to bring the Senate into dishonor and disrepute." Taiwan-United States Mutual Defense Treaty. [1]

December 4 - The first Burger King is opened in Miami, Florida, USA December 24 - Laos gains full independence from France.

[edit] Undated

New Zealand inventor, Sir William Hamilton invented the worlds first water pump-jet engine, later named the "Hamilton Jet". The first kidney transplants are done in Boston and Paris. The Boy Scouts of America desegregates on the basis of race. Gerbils (Meriones Unguiculatus) are brought to the United States by Dr. Victor Schwentker. Unification Church is founded. Case of Lothar Malskat, who had admitted that he had painted the frescoes in Marienkirche himself, goes into trial. The TV Dinner is introduced by American, Gerry Thomas. Choreographer George Balanchine's production of The Nutcracker is staged for the first time in New York, becoming an annual tradition there, and still being revived as of 2007. Korea use of Gimpo International Airport possible.

[edit] Ongoing

Marshall Plan

[edit] Fictional

The following are references to year 1954 in fiction: Robert A. Heinlein's short story, The Year of the Jackpot takes place in 1954.

[edit] Births

1954 in other calendars

Gregorian calendar 1954
MCMLIV

Ab urbe condita 2707

Armenian calendar 1403
Ô¹ÕŽ ÕŒÕ†Ô³

BahÃ¡'Ã calendar 110 â€“ 111

Berber calendar 2904

Buddhist calendar 2498

Burmese calendar 1316

Byzantine calendar 7462 â€“ 7463

Chinese calendar ç™¸å·³å¹´åä¸€æœˆå»¿ä¸ƒæ—¥
(4590/4650-11-27)

â€” to â€”

ç”²åˆå¹´åäºŒæœˆåˆä¸ƒæ—¥
(4591/4651-12-7)

Coptic calendar 1670 â€“ 1671

Ethiopian calendar 1946 â€“ 1947

Hebrew calendar 5714 â€“ 5715

Hindu calendars

- Vikram Samvat 2009 â€“ 2010

- Shaka Samvat 1876 â€“ 1877

- Kali Yuga 5055 â€“ 5056

Holocene calendar 11954

Iranian calendar 1332 â€“ 1333

Islamic calendar 1373 â€“ 1374

Japanese calendar ShÅwa 29
(æ˜å’Œ29å¹´)

Korean calendar 4287

Thai solar calendar 2497

v â€¢ d â€¢ e

[edit] January-February

January 2 - Henry Bonilla, American politician January 3 - Jim Ross, American wrestling commentator January 4 - Dave "The Devilfish" Ulliott, English professional poker player January 5 - Alex English, American basketball player January 6 - Anthony Minghella, British film and theatre director (d. 2008) January 12 - Howard Stern, American radio host January 13 - Trevor Rabin, South African-American musician January 14 - Tom Cheney, American cartoonist January 15 - Jose Dalisay, Jr., Filipino writer January 17 - Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., son of Robert F Kennedy January 19 - Katey Sagal, American actress and singer January 19 - Ted DiBiase, American professional wrestler January 22 - Peter Pilz, Austrian politician January 23 - Franco De Vita, Venezuelan singer and songwriter January 29 - Oprah Winfrey, American actress, talk show hostess, producer, and publisher January 29 - Yukinobu Hoshino, Japanese cartoonist

February 1 - Bill Mumy, American actor and musician February 2 - Christie Brinkley, American model February 7 - Dieter Bohlen, German singer February 9 - Christopher Gardner, American entrepreneur February 9 - Kevin Warwick, Cyborg Scientist February 11 - Noriyuki Asakura, Japanese composer February 12 - Philip Zimmermann, American cryptographer February 13 - Donnie Moore, American baseball player (d. 1989) February 15 - Matt Groening, American cartoonist February 18 - John Travolta, American actor February 19 - Socrates, Brazilian footballer February 20 - Anthony Stewart Head, English actor February 20 - Patty Hearst, American heiress and kidnapping victim February 23 - Viktor Yushchenko, President of Ukraine February 25 - John Doe, American musician February 27 - Neal Schon, American guitarist

[edit] March-April

March 1 - Ron Howard, American actor, director, producer March 4 - FranÃ§ois Fillon, Prime Minister of France March 4 - Peter Jacobsen, American professional golfer March 4 - Catherine O'Hara, Canadian actress March 4 - Irina Ratushinskaya, Russian writer March 4 - Willie Thorne, English snooker player March 4 - Adrian Zmed, American actor and dancer March 6 - Harald Schumacher, German football goalkeeper March 8 - David Wilkie, Scottish swimmer March 9 - Bobby Sands, Irish Republican, Long Kesh hunger striker March 13 - The Baroness Amos, British politician March 15 - Craig Wasson, American actor March 16 - Nancy Wilson, American singer, musician, and actress March 17 - Lesley-Anne Down, British actress March 18 - James F. Reilly, astronaut March 19 - Indu Shahani, Indian educationist and Sheriff of Mumbai March 23 - Geno Auriemma, American basketball coach March 24 - Robert Carradine, American actor March 26 - Kazuhiko Inoue, Japanese seiyu (voice actor) March 29 - Karen Ann Quinlan, American right-to-die cause cÃ©lÃ¨bre (d. 1985) April 2 - Susumu Hirasawa, Japanese musician April 5 - Guy Bertrand (broadcaster). Canadian linguist and radio personality. April 7 - Jackie Chan, Hong Kong-born actor April 7 - Tony Dorsett, American football player April 8 - John Schneider, American actor ("Dukes of Hazzard") April 9 - Dennis Quaid, American actor April 9 - Steve Holt, Canadian musician April 10 - Anacani, Mexican-born American singer The Lawrence Welk Show April 10 - Peter MacNicol, American actor April 14 - Bruce Sterling, American science fiction writer April 15 - Seka, American actress April 16 - Ellen Barkin, American actress April 17 - Riccardo Patrese, Italian race car driver April 26 - Alan Hinkes, British Mountaineer April 28 - Robert Sargent Shriver III, son of Eunice Kennedy Shriver April 29 - Jerry Seinfeld, American comedian April 29 - Jake Burton Carpenter, founder of Burton Snowboards

[edit] May-June

May 1 - Archie Norman, British politician and businessman May 5 - Dave Spector, American television personality and commentator May 7 - Philippe Geluck, Belgian cartoonist May 7 - Amy Heckerling, American film director May 8 - David Keith, American actor May 8 - John Michael Talbot, American musician May 11 - Judith Weir, British composer May 19 - Phil Rudd, Australian drummer (AC/DC) May 26 - Danny Rolling, American Murderer (d. 2006) May 27 - Pauline Hanson, Australian politician June 5 - Nancy Stafford, American actress and Christian author June 9 - John Hagelin, American physicist and U.S. Presidential candidate June 9 - Elizabeth May, leader of the Green Party of Canada June 15 - James Belushi, American actor June 16 - Sergey Kuryokhin, a Russian piano player, avant-garde composer, improvisor, performance artist and actor (d.1996) June 19 - Ted Coombs, American artist June 19 - Kathleen Turner, American actress June 20 - Michael Anthony, American bassist and founding member of the hard rock group Van Halen June 20 - Ilan Ramon, Israeli Air Force, Israel first astronaut (d. 2003) June 22 - Freddie Prinze, American actor and comedian (d. 1977) June 26 - Steve Barton, American actor (d. 2001) June 27 - Ron Kirk, Mayor of Dallas, Texas June 28 - Ava Barber, country singer The Lawrence Welk Show June 29 - Rick Honeycutt, American baseball player and coach June 30 - Pierre Charles, Prime Minister of Dominica (d. 2004)

[edit] July-August

July 5 - John Wright, New Zealand cricket captain July 6 - Willie Randolph, American baseball player, coach, manager July 10 - Neil Tennant, British musician July 13 - Sezen Aksu, popular Turkish female singer July 15 - Tarak Dhiab, Tunisian footballer July 16 - Jeanette Mott Oxford, American politician July 17 - Angela Merkel, Chancellor of Germany July 22 - Pierre Lebeau, Canadian actor July 25 - Walter Payton, American football player (d. 1999) July 27 - Philippe Alliot, French race car driver July 28 - Hugo Chavez, Venezuelan President August 1 - Michael J. Badnarik, American software engineer and presidential candidate August 2 - Sammy McIlroy, Northern Irish footballer and football manager August 4 - Uwe Wittwer, Swiss artist August 11 - Joe Jackson, British singer August 12 - Sam J. Jones, American actor August 12 - Pat Metheny, American jazz guitarist August 13 - Nico AssumpÃ§Ã£o, Brazilian bass player August 14 - Mark Fidrych, American baseball player August 15 - Mary Jo Salter, American poet August 16 - James Cameron, Canadian-born film director August 17 - Anatoly Kudryavitsky, Russian-Irish writer August 20 - Tawn Mastrey, American disc jockey, music video producer (d. 2007) August 20 - Al Roker, American television broadcaster August 21 - Ivan Stang, American author and publisher August 21 - Steve Smith, American drummer August 23 - Charles Busch, American director, writer, and actor August 25 - Elvis Costello, British singer August 29 - IstvÃ¡n CserhÃ¡ti, Hungarian keyboardist (d. 2005) August 31 - Julie Brown, American actress, singer-songwriter and screenwriter August 31 - Caroline Cossey, English model

[edit] September-October

September 1 - Dave Lumley, Canadian ice hockey player September 10 - Mark W. Everson, incoming President and Chief Executive Officer of the American Red Cross September 13 - Steve Kilbey, Australian musician September 17 - JoÃ«l-FranÃ§ois Durand, French composer September 18 - Dennis Johnson, American basketball player (d. 2007) September 21 - Shinzo Abe, Japanese politician September 23 - Charlie Barnett, American actor (d. 1996) September 26 - Kevin Kennedy, baseball manager and television host September 28 - Steve Largent, American football player and congressman September 30 - Barry Williams, American actor

October 1 - Martin Strel, Slovenian swimmer October 3 - Dennis Eckersley, baseball player October 3 - Stevie Ray Vaughan, American musician (d. 1990) October 3 - Al Sharpton, American politician and minister October 7 - Robert A. Schuller, American televangelist and son of Robert H. Schuller