Stories from 1954
Browse a timeline of top world events from 1954. Or, use Proust to tell your life story and share personal
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May 6, 1954
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Oxford, England
Roger Bannister broke the four-minute mile in Oxford, England.
May 17, 1954
On May 17, in Brown v. Board of Education, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that racial segregation in public schools is illegal and violates the 14th Amendment.
June 14, 1954
The phrase 'under God' was added to the Pledge of Allegiance.
August 1, 1954
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New York, New York
Construction began on the St. Lawrence Seaway, a project shared by Canada and the U.S. that took five years to complete.
September 29, 1954
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New York, New York
Willie Mays of the New York Giants made an over-the-shoulder catch, one of the greatest catches in the history of baseball, when Cleveland Indians' Vic Wertz hit a fly ball. The Giants would go on to win the 1954 World Series and Mays was named the league's MVP.
November 12, 1954
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New York, NY
Ellis Island closed after screening more than 12 million immigrants in 62 years. One million people alone went through its doors in 1907 and 40% of Americans have either been through Ellis Island or have relatives who have done so. Now a museum, Ellis Island received $160 million for renovation, becoming one of the largest historic restoration projects in U.S. history.
December 1, 1954
Swanson introduced TV dinners to the nation with roast turkey, stuffing, gravy, sweet potatoes, and peas- all Thanksgiving staples. Apparently executive Gerald Thomas came up with the idea when the company had over 500 tons of leftover turkey after the holiday. Originally packaged in aluminum trays, the Campbell Soup Company would replace them with plastic ones that were microwavable.
December 1, 1954
A report on cigarette smoking showed findings that prove there is a direct correlation to lung cancer, heart disease, and shorter life expectancy. In response, tobacco companies created filtered cigarettes with a lower tar formula and aggressively marketed it to boost sales.
