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May 17, 1951

May 17, 1951, was a Thursday. It was 72 years, 11 months, and 3 days ago. The zodiac star sign for this date is Taurus.

Music charts

Top song: May 17, 1951

The best-selling single on May 17, 1951 was "How High the Moon" by Les Paul and Mary Ford.

Play the top singles from 1951
A Spotify playlist of songs from the year 1951. Take a trip back to the days of Les Paul & Mary Ford, Perry Como, Tony Bennett and Guy Mitchell.

Facts

This date occurred 26,637 days ago. Approximately 888 months have passed. It was the 137th day of 1951, in week 20. The decade was the fifties. People who were born on May 17, 1951, are now 72 years old and belong to the Baby Boomer generation. We have gone through approximately 296 seasons of weather since this date.

Take me back to May 17, 1951

Let's take a walk down memory lane.

The date is May 17, 1951, and it's a Thursday. Babies who are born today will have the star sign Taurus. The summer of 1951 has finally arrived. The weather has warmed up, and the evenings are brighter than usual. The school year is nearly finished.

In music, the song "How High the Moon" by Les Paul and Mary Ford is the best-selling record at the moment. Harry S. Truman is the President of the United States, and Clement Attlee is the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. On television, people are watching popular shows such as "The Lone Ranger", "What's My Line?", "The Gene Autry Show", and "The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show".

In fashion, women are sporting the popular "The New Look" by Christian Dior. This formal style includes rounded shoulders, a full-skirted silhouette and a tight waist. Meanwhile, men are beginning to follow a new "Teddy Boy" trend that involves greased-back hair, extremely narrow trousers and velvet-collared jackets. In Asia, the Korean War is raging on between South Korea and North Korea. It's 1951, so radio stations and jukeboxes are playing songs from artists such as Nat King Cole, Tony Bennett, Les Paul, Rosemary Clooney, Mary Ford, Mario Lanza, The Weavers, Perry Como and Patti Page.

Kids and teenagers are watching TV shows such as "Looney Tunes", "Tom and Jerry", "Jim and Judy in Teleland", and "Crusader Rabbit". Children are playing with toys such as Tonka trucks, Tiny Tears (doll), Butch the Pup Toy, and Colorforms.

News

News, nostalgia, and fads

These are news stories, trending topics, and fads that were popular on May 17, 1951.

  • Movies from 1951.

    Movies from 1951

    The most popular movies in 1951 included the likes of Quo Vadis, Show Boat, David and Bathsheba, The Great Caruso, A Streetcar Named Desire and The African Queen.
  • 1951 in music.

    1951 in music

    The radio stations in 1951 were dominated by artists such as Nat King Cole, Tony Bennett, Les Paul & Mary Ford, Rosemary Clooney, Mario Lanza, The Weavers, Perry Como and Patti Page.
  • Mohammad Mossadegh.

    Mohammad Mossadegh

    The Prime Minister of Iran, Mohammad Mossadegh, was named Time Person of the Year in 1951 after he expelled western oil companies from the country and started the Abadan Crisis.
  • The Korean War.

    The Korean War

    During this time, the Korean War was being fought between South Korea and North Korea.
  • Greasers.

    Greasers

    A youth subculture called "greasers" emerged during the 1950s and early 1960s. The style included greased-back hairstyles, work pants, and denim or leather jackets.
  • The Jukebox.

    The Jukebox

    The jukebox was at the height of its popularity. Teenagers and young adults would often hang out at local restaurants and diners and listen to the latest songs.
  • Men are getting "DA haircuts".

    Men are getting "DA haircuts"

    The "DA haircut" was extremely popular among men. The cut consisted of a combed-back hairstyle that was parted down the middle at the back. "DA" stood for "Duck's Ass," which is what many people liked to call the style.
  • Sock hops.

    Sock hops

    Sock hops were informal dance events for teenagers. The name originated from the fact that many of these dances required participants to remove their shoes. This is because sock hops were often held in high school gymnasiums, and the organizers didn't want scuff marks on the floors.
  • Capitalism vs Communism.

    Capitalism vs Communism

    The ideological clash between capitalism and communism heated up during the 1950s. It was during this period that a "Cold War" started between the United States and the Soviet Union. In the US, there were fears that Soviet spies had infiltrated all parts of society, including Hollywood.
  • The economy is booming.

    The economy is booming

    The world was recovering from World War II. Many countries witnessed an economic boom during this decade. Unemployment was low, consumerism increased, mortgages were cheap, and governments started to invest in infrastructure such as highways. For many, this was the "golden age" of the economy.
  • Rotary phones.

    Rotary phones

    Almost everyone had rotary phones in the 1950s. However, the heavier metal dial components were being phased out and replaced with plastic.
  • More and more people are buying television sets.

    More and more people are buying television sets

    More and more households were buying TV sets. In 1950, 20% of homes had a television. By the end of the decade, that figure had risen to 90%.
  • Polio cases are high.

    Polio cases are high

    Cases of Polio were particularly high, and outbreaks were common. In the United States, the disease peaked in 1952, with nearly 60,000 cases and 3,145 deaths. It wasn't until 1955 that a national immunization program started and cases began to drop.

Personality traits

Check out our personality summary for people who were born on May 17, 1951.

What are your strengths and weaknesses?

View Personality Summary

Events

What happened around this time?

News stories, pop culture trends, and other events that happened around May 17, 1951.

  • April 21, 1951: Basketball: The Rochester Royals win the 1951 NBA Finals after defeating the New York Knicks 4-3.
  • April 23, 1951: 16-year-old Barbara Johns leads a walk-out protest against inadequate facilities at her segregated school in Virginia.
  • April 28, 1951:
    • Soccer: Newcastle United win the FA Cup after beating Blackpool 2-0.
    • Soccer: Tottenham Hotspur win their first League Championship after a 1-0 win over Sheffield Wednesday.
  • April 30, 1951: Tony Bennett releases his single "Because of You".
  • May 1, 1951: Iranian Prime Minister Mohammad Mossadegh nationalizes the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company.
  • May 5, 1951: English magician Larry Grey commits suicide at his home in Oakland, California.
  • May 13, 1951: The musical comedy film "That's My Boy" is released.
  • This date: May 17, 1951
  • June 6, 1951: Rosemary Clooney releases the single "Come On-a My House".
Zodiac info

Zodiac

Zodiac, birthstone, and birth flower information.

Personality summary image

  • Zodiac Sign (Astrology): Anyone born on May 17, 1951, will have the star sign Taurus.
  • Zodiac Element: Earth.
  • Chinese Zodiac Animal: In the Chinese Zodiac, 1951 was the year of the Rabbit (Yin Fire).
  • The Life Path Number for this date is 2.
  • Native American Zodiac: May 17, 1951 falls under the Beaver.
  • Birthstone: A person during the month of May will have the birthstone Emerald.
  • Birth flower (May): The Lily of the Valley and the Hawthorn.

1950s fashion

Photographs of 1950s fashion and hairstyles.

1950s fashion

Television shows

TV series on May 17, 1951

People in May 1951 were watching the following TV series:

The Jack Benny Program
The Jack Benny Program
The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show
The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show
You Bet Your Life
You Bet Your Life
Beulah
Beulah
The Colgate Comedy Hour
The Colgate Comedy Hour
The Cisco Kid
The Cisco Kid
The Gene Autry Show
The Gene Autry Show
Space Patrol
Space Patrol
What's My Line?
What's My Line?
The Lone Ranger
The Lone Ranger
Suspense
Suspense
The Ed Sullivan Show
The Ed Sullivan Show

Cars in 1951

1951 saw the introduction of cars such as the Ford Country Squire, the Hudson Hornet, the Ford Zephyr, the Renault Frégate, the Mercedes-Benz W187, and the BMW 501.

Cars in 1951.

Children TV shows

Cartoons and children's TV shows in May 1951

Children and teenagers were watching the following cartoons and TV series:

Crusader Rabbit
Crusader Rabbit
Jim and Judy in Teleland
Jim and Judy in Teleland
Tom and Jerry
Tom and Jerry

Looney Tunes
Looney Tunes
Toys

Toys in 1951

Children were playing with the following toys and games:

Colorforms
Colorforms
Butch the Pup Toy
Butch the Pup Toy
BAS-KET Miniature Basketball
BAS-KET Miniature Basketball
Tiny Tears (doll)
Tiny Tears (doll)
Spinning Tops
Spinning Tops
Toy Guns
Toy Guns
Foto-Electric Baseball
Foto-Electric Baseball
Tonka trucks
Tonka trucks
Dimestore soldiers
Dimestore soldiers

Were you born on May 17, 1951?

If you were born on this date, then it is unlikely that you will remember anything from the year 1951.

This is because humans find it difficult to retrieve memories of their early childhood.

If you are looking for some childhood nostalgia, then you should check out May 17, 1957, instead.

Celebrity birthdays

Celebrity birthdays

Celebrities, historical figures, and other notable people who were born on May 17.

Dennis Hopper

Dennis Hopper

Actor Deceased
Born on May 17, 1936
He turned 15 on this day in 1951.

Bill Paxton

Bill Paxton

Actor Deceased
Born on May 17, 1955
He was born exactly 4 years after this date.

Bob Saget

Bob Saget

Comedian / Actor Deceased
Born on May 17, 1956
He was born exactly 5 years after this date.

Sugar Ray Leonard

Sugar Ray Leonard

Boxer
Born on May 17, 1956
He was born exactly 5 years after this date.

Enya

Enya

Irish singer
Born on May 17, 1961
She was born exactly 10 years after this date.

Tahj Mowry

Tahj Mowry

Actor
Born on May 17, 1986
He was born exactly 35 years after this date.

Charlotte Crosby

Charlotte Crosby

English TV personality
Born on May 17, 1990
She was born exactly 39 years after this date.

Holidays

Holidays

National holidays and famous events that fall on May 17:

USA

US President

Harry S. Truman was the President of the United States on May 17, 1951.

UK

UK Prime Minister

Clement Attlee was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.

Ireland

Irish Taoiseach

John A. Costello was the Taoiseach of Ireland.

Conception

Conception dates

Conception estimates for this date.

  • A baby that was born on May 17, 1951 was most likely conceived around August 24, 1950.
  • The due date for a baby that was conceived on May 17, 1951 is close to February 7, 1952.

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Stats for May 17, 1951

Statistics

Here are some interesting statistics about May 17, 1951:

  • 26,637 days have passed since this date.
  • 3,805 weeks have passed.
  • 2,301,436,800 seconds have passed since May 17, 1951.
  • If you were born on this day, your heart has beat approximately 2,685,009,600 times.
  • Since then, the Earth has traveled approximately 1,187,541,388,800 miles through space.
  • If you were born on this day, your eyes have blinked approximately 383,572,800 times.
  • You have taken approximately 197,923,565 steps. That's roughly 87,966 miles.
  • 27,617,242 meteors have entered the Earth's atmosphere.
  • How many years ago was 1951?

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