At A Glance

17 May 1949 at a glance

Day of the week
17 May 1949 was a Tuesday.
Top Film of 1949
The highest-grossing film worldwide released in 1949 was Samson and Delilah.
Bestselling Novel of 1949
“The Egyptian” by Mika Waltari was No. 1 on Publishers Weekly's US fiction list for 1949.
Star sign
The star sign for 17 May is Taurus.
Chinese zodiac
In the Chinese zodiac, 17 May 1949 fell in the Year of the Ox.
Birthstone
The birthstone for May is Emerald.
Moon phase
The moon phase on 17 May 1949 was Waning Gibbous.

On this day: 17 May

  • 1939 The Columbia Lions and the Princeton Tigers play in the United States' first televised sporting event, a collegiate baseball game in New York City.
  • 1940 World War II: Germany occupies Brussels, Belgium.
  • 1943 World War II: Dambuster Raids commence by No. 617 Squadron RAF.
  • 1954 The United States Supreme Court hands down a unanimous decision in Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas, outlawing racial segregation in public schools.
  • 1959 In Cuba, the First Agrarian Reform Law – a cornerstone of the Cuban Revolution – is signed by Fidel Castro, aiming to eliminate large foreign-owned estates and redistribute land to over 100,000 peasants.

Famous people born on May 17

  • Josh Homme, American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer (born 1973)
  • Bill Paxton, American actor and director (1955–2017)
  • Dennis Hopper, American actor and director (1936–2010)
  • Bob Saget, American comedian, actor, and television host (1956–2022)

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)

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Events of 1949 in the United States

A selection from Wikipedia's '1949 in the United States'. Not a complete list.

  • January 25 – The first Emmy Awards are presented at the Hollywood Athletic Club.
  • March 24 – The 21st Academy Awards ceremony, hosted by Robert Montgomery, is held at the Academy Theater in Hollywood, Los Angeles.
  • April 4 – The North Atlantic Treaty is signed in Washington, D.C., creating the NATO defense alliance.
More events of 1949 →Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Life in the US in 1949

President

Harry S. Truman

Gas (per gallon)

$0.27

Loaf of Bread

$0.14

Average House

$5,700

Weekly Wage

$52

Or

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Famous Faces Born in the 1940s

Well-known people born in the same decade as you, not on your birthday.

Dolly Parton19 January 1946Singer-songwriterView their day →Donald Trump14 June 1946President of the United StatesView their day →Sylvester Stallone6 July 1946Actor & filmmakerView their day →Robert De Niro17 August 1943ActorView their day →Mitch McConnell20 February 1942Politician & lawyerView their day →George W. Bush6 July 1946President of the United StatesView their day →Michael Douglas25 September 1944Actor & producerView their day →Arnold Schwarzenegger30 July 1947Actor & bodybuilderView their day →

Sources: Wikidata and Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)

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