A lethal fog began to cover London, lasting for five days, causing the term 'smog' to be termed – a combination of smoke and fog.
The Governor of Kenya declared a state of emergency and began arresting hundreds of suspected leaders of the Mau Mau Uprising.
The children's novel 'Charlotte's Web' was published by E. B. White.
KFC opened its first franchise in Salt Lake City, Utah, US.
The first television show about Superman, 'Adventures of Superman,' aired in the US.
'The Old Man and the Sea' by Ernest Hemingway was published in book form after first being published in Life Magazine on September 1.
The comedy movie 'The Quiet Man' was released in the UK.
Finnish Armi Kuusela won the first Miss Universe Pageant at Long Beach, California.
The women of Greece were given the right to vote.
Mr. Potato Head was officially released, originally only consisting of the accessories which were stuck in an actual potato.
Mr. Potato Head became the first toy advertised on TV.
The Treaty of San Francisco took effect.
The Boeing B-52 Stratofortress bomber successfully completed its first flight.
The musical ''Singing in The Rain," directed by Gene Kelly and Stanley Donen, had its first theatrical run.
The world record for rainfall dumped 6.1 feet (1.87m) of rain on Cilaos, Island of Réunion.
British Prime Minister Winston Churchill went public that Britain had its first atomic bomb and planned to test it in Australia by the end of the year.
Queen Elizabeth II took to the throne after the death of King George VI.
The high-end fashion label Givenchy was presented for the first time in Paris, with the first model being Bettina Graziani.
The Today Show aired for the first time on NBC-TV with Dave Garroway and Jack Lescoulie as hosts.
