Discover what happened in this year with HISTORY’s summaries of major events, anniversaries, famous births and notable deaths.
Feb
25
Mar
21
Noted for his innovative use of wide-angle shots, low-key lighting and deep focus, cinematographer James Wong Howe becomes the first Asian American to win an Academy Award on March 21, 1956.
LOS ANGELES - FEBRUARY 18, 1956: Cinematographer James Wong Howe poses with his Oscar during the Academy Awards in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Earl Leaf/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)
Getty Images
May
04
Jun
03
Jun
05
Jun
09
Jun
21
Jun
25
Jul
26
Aug
07
Sep
09
The King of Rock and Roll teams up with TV’s reigning variety program, as Elvis Presley appears on “The Ed Sullivan Show” for the first time on September 9, 1956.
Elvis Presley on The Ed Sullivan Show at CBS Television City, Los Angeles, September 9, 1956.
CBS via Getty Images
Oct
29
Nov
04
A spontaneous national uprising that began 12 days before in Hungary is viciously crushed by Soviet tanks and troops on November 4, 1956. Thousands were killed and wounded and nearly a quarter-million Hungarians fled the country.
On this day in history, November 4, Howard Carter began to uncover the tomb of the Egyptian pharaoh King Tut in 1922. This was one of the most exciting archeological discoveries of the time. On this day in 1924 the first women governor was elected. This first women governor was Nellie Tayloe Ross. On November 4, 1979, anti-American protestors stormed the U.S. Embassy in Tehran. Ninety people were taken hostage during this attack. On November 4, 1956, Soviet tanks crushed the Hungarian Revolution. The Hungarians wanted to end Soviet rule in their country, and Hungarian civilians fought Soviet militants in the streets. This led to about 30,000 Hungarian deaths, and thousands of Hungarians fled to the west after the Soviets put down the revolution.
Nov
09
Dec
22
On December 22, 1956, a baby gorilla named Colo enters the world at the Columbus Zoo in Ohio, becoming the first-ever gorilla born in captivity. Weighing in at approximately 4 pounds, Colo, a western lowland gorilla whose name was a combination of Columbus and Ohio, was the daughter of Millie and Mac, two gorillas captured in French Cameroon, Africa, who were brought to the Columbus Zoo in 1951. Before Colo’s birth, gorillas found at zoos were caught in the wild, often by brutal means. In order to capture a gorilla when it was young and therefore still small enough to handle, hunters frequently had to kill the gorilla’s parents and other family members.
2WTYKB5 COLO THE BABY GORILLA . COLUMBUS ZOO RUNS THE GORILLA SURROGACY PROGRAMME WHICH TEACHES BABY GORILLAS WHO HAVE BEEN REJECTED BY THEIR MOTHERS TO ACT AND BEHAVE LIKE GORILLAS. THEY ARE TAUGHT BY HUMANS, THEN REINTRODUCED TO A SURROGATE GORILLA MOTHER. COLUMBUS ZOO, OHIO. MUST BE CAPTIONED GARYROBERTS/WORLDWIDEFEATURES.COM
Alamy Stock Photo
Dec
26
Uncover fascinating moments from the past every day! Learn something new with key events in history, from the American Revolution to pop culture, crime and more.
By submitting your information, you agree to receive emails from HISTORY and A+E Global Media. You can opt out at any time. You must be 16 years or older and a resident of the United States.
More details: Privacy Policy | Terms of Use | Contact Us