Ghana's parliament finalized constitutional arrangements cementing its status as the first sub-Saharan African colony to win independence from European rule.

The Federation of Malaya declared independence from British colonial rule, with Tunku Abdul Rahman becoming its first prime minister.

The United States conducts 'Rainier,' the first fully contained underground nuclear test, at the Nevada Test Site, launching the era of underground weapons testing.

Escorted by federal troops under orders from President Eisenhower, nine Black students entered Little Rock Central High School, defying the governor and a hostile mob.

Soviet engineers at Baikonur completed final preparations on a beach-ball-sized satellite that would launch the next day and stun the world.

The Soviet Union launched Sputnik 1, a 184-pound aluminum sphere, becoming the first artificial satellite to orbit Earth.

The Soviet Union launched Sputnik 1, the first artificial satellite, into orbit, opening the Space Age and stunning the West.

Three days after Sputnik's launch, the Soviet satellite carrying the dog Laika continued its orbit, deepening American anxiety over the Space Race.

Soviet space officials confirmed the stray dog Kudryavka, soon renamed Laika, would fly aboard Sputnik 2, the first living creature launched into orbit.

Britain's Jodrell Bank radio telescope, rushed into service, began tracking the rocket carrying Sputnik 1, giving the West its first hard data on the Soviet satellite.

The Soviet Union launches Sputnik 2 carrying Laika, the first living creature to orbit Earth, though she dies within hours from overheating.

The Soviet Union launched Sputnik 2, carrying the dog Laika into orbit as the first living creature to circle the Earth.

The Swedish Academy awarded Albert Camus the Nobel Prize in Literature, making the 44-year-old Algerian-French writer one of its youngest recipients.