Carbons to Computers

Historical Timeline 1950-1959

Decade overview

Consumerism in its many guises is a major theme of the 1950s. At the beginning of the century, most people worked to survive and sometimes prosper; in the 1950s many people work to buy the "American dream."

In 1950, the first charge card is introduced by Diners' Club; a prototype of the credit card, it had to be paid off in full monthly.

In 1954, TV dinners are introduced in the United States.

In 1954, there are fifteen computers in the United States.

In 1955, Rosa Parks rides in the front seat of the bus in Montgomery, Alabama, propelling the demand for civil rights reform in America.

In 1957, John McCarthy founds the Artificial Intelligence Department at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Corporate milestones

1950

George Nelson's "Executive Office Group" for Herman Miller features first "L-shaped" desk

1951

First commercially available computer, UNIVAC I (universal automatic computer), completed in Philadelphia and turned over to U.S. Census Bureau

1952

Rolodex "Rolomatic" introduced, featuring a ball-bearing clutch mechanism

1956

Bette Nesmith markets "Mistake Out," later known as "Liquid Paper," to secretaries in her office

 

IBM introduces hard disk for data storage--RAMAC

1957

Digital Equipment Corporation incorporates in Massachusetts

 

Smith-Corona makes a portable electric typewriter weighing 18.3 pounds (more than its manual predecessor)

1958

Jack Kilby of Texas Instruments conceives the integrated circuit

 

Modem dataphone, using telephone lines for transmitting binary data, introduced by Bell Laboratories

1959

First commercial Xerox copier introduced

1900-1909 || 1910-1919 || 1920-1929 || 1930-1939 || 1940-1949
1950-1959 || 1960-1969 || 1970-1979 || 1980-1989 || 1990-

This material was generously provided by the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum.

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