by Kailey & Carmen

1930   1931   1932   1933   1934   1935   1936   1937   1938   1939

1939 was a year of mass production and world changing discoveries. 1939 was a time of knowledge and curiosity about the world and its resources. Some of the most world altering events in history occurred in 1939 such as WWII and Einstein's discovery of atomic construction. Many exciting new things also took place such as the beginning of world-renowned Frank Sinatra's career and the excitement of new technology at the World's fair in New York. 1939 was indeed a most exciting year, full of new discoveries of disease, new technologies, and life.

• In 1939 Albert Einstein wrote to President Roosevelt claiming that uranium may be used in the future as a major source of energy. He warned this new discovery would lead to the construction of bombs.
• Toshiba (Tokyo Shibaura Electric Co.) Toshiba is merged with Shibaura and Tokyo electric, which made water wheel generators that were the largest of their kind in the world.
• Nylon was introduced commercially by E.I du Pont They made the first nylon stockings.
• On July 4 Lou Gehrig said goodbye to Yankee fans. He stood before 60,000 fans at Yankee Stadium and confirmed that he had been diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (commonly known as Lou Gehrig's Disease). He made one of the most memorable speeches in baseball history.
• German Doctor F.H. Muller relates smoking to lung cancer.
• LaGuardia Airport opens in the fall of 1939 under the name North Beach Airport.
• Hewlett-Packard is founded by California engineers William Redington Hewlett and David Packard. Hewlett Packard is the leading producer of electronic instruments.
• The Bronx-Whitestone Bridge opens and connects the Bronx with Queens. It gives access to the LaGuardia Airport.
• The 1939 World's Fair opens in New York.
• Football helmets are made officially mandatory in U.S. college football competition.
• New York Yankees win the World Series by defeating the Cincinnati Reds 4 games to none.
• World War II begins one week after the mutual August 23 signing of non-aggression pact between Nazi Germany and Russia. Germany attacked Poland on September 1 and WWII began.
• On November 15 President Roosevelt laid the cornerstone for the Jefferson Memorial.
• Atlanta's H. W. Lay Co. founded by Herman Warden Lay establishes Lay's Potato Chips.
• The pressure cooker was introduced at the World Fair in 1939 that looked like a swivel pan and accomplished in minutes what would take hours to do.
• The baseball Hall of Fame is established in Cooperstown, N.Y. to commemorate baseball history.
• Frank Sinatra joins Harry James at age 23 and soon leaves for the Tommy Dorsey Band, then breaks his contract with Dorsey and goes to New York's Paramount Theater to begin a career as a teenage idol.
• The Wizard of Oz is made in 1939 with Judy Garland.
• Black opera star Marian Anderson is refused permission to sing at Constitution Hall in Washington, D.C.
• Gone with the Wind opens. The world meets Scarlet O'Hara and Rhett Butler.
• "Yankee Clipper" becomes 1st commercial plane to fly passenger across the Atlantic ocean.
• The Grapes of Wrath becomes #1 best seller.

1930   1931   1932   1933   1934   1935   1936   1937   1938   1939

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last updated 12/04/05