Politics & Government
- Franklin D. Roosevelt was the president, and Harry S. Truman was his vice president.
- The first peacetime draft occurred in September.
- Winston Churchill became Britain’s Prime Minister.
- Hitler invaded Denmark, the Netherlands, Belgium, France, and Luxembourg.
- Walt Disney begins working as an informer for the Los Angeles FBI.
- Winston Churchill was voted the Time Magazine’s “Man of the Year.”
Media
- “Rebecca,” directed by Alfred Hitchcock, won the Best Film Oscar.
- The first “Green Lantern” comic book hit the stands in July.
- Hattie McDaniel became the first African American actor to win an Academy Award for her supporting role in “Gone with the Wind.”
- 80% of Americans owned a radio.
- “I Love Lucy” actress Lucille Ball marries actor Desi Arnaz in November in Greenwich.
- Books published included “For Whom the Bell Tolls,” by Ernest Hemingway, “Native Son,” by Richard Wright, and “Horton Hatches the Egg,” by Dr. Seuss.
- Popular films included: “Pinocchio,” “Fantasia,” and “The Great Dictator.”
- Number one singles included “Only Forever” and “White Christmas” by Bing Crosby, and “Blueberry Hill” and “Moonlight Cocktail” by Glenn Miller.
- Winston Churchill was voted the Time Magazine’s “Man of the Year.”
Sports
- The 1940 Olympic Games were cancelled due to the war, along with many other championships.
- The World Series Champions were the Cincinnati Reds.
- The NFL Champions were the Chicago Bears.
- Basketball players were not affected by the draft because their height made them ineligible to serve.
- The Green Bay Packers become 1st NFL team to travel by plane.
- NY Rangers won the Stanley Cup.
- Jackie Robinson won the 1940 NCAA Men’s Track and Field Championships in the Long Jump.
Business and Economics
- The Paper Mate Company was founded.
- Top industries were manufacturing, totaling 23.4% of Americans, and agriculture, totaling 18.5%.
- Minimum wage was $.30 per hour.
- Igor Sikorsky made the first practical helicopter in Stratford.
- A gallon of milk was $.34, while a gallon of gas was $.18.
- The first Social Security benefit checks were paid out.
- The average car cost $800.
- The average urban monthly rate was $30.83.
- Frank Mars and Bruce Murrie created candy-coated chocolate pieces in six different colors- red, green, yellow, brown, and violet- later known as M&M’s.
Demographics & Lifestyle
- New York had the largest state population of 13.4 million.
- The life expectancy was 68 for females and 61 for males.
- Benjamin Oliver Davis, Sr. is appointed the first African American General in the U.S. Army.
- There were 48 US States.
- Popular children’s names included James, Robert, Mary and Barbara.
- The US Census resident population totaled 132,164,569 people.
- John Lennon, Ringo Starr, Nancy Sinatra, Frankie Avalon, Bruce Lee, and Chuck Norris were born.
References:
- http://www.pop-culture.us/Annual/1940.html
- https://www.census.gov/history/www/through_the_decades/fast_facts/1940_fast_facts.html
- http://www.hhsclassof58.com/year1940.htm
- http://www.retrowaste.com/1940s/sports-in-the-1940s/
- http://www.livinghistoryfarm.org/farminginthe40s/life_10.html
- http://www.babycenter.com/0_100-most-popular-baby-names-of-1940_1738078.bc
- http://tsort.info/music/yr1940.htm
- http://www.thepeoplehistory.com/1940.html
- http://www.businessinsider.com/infographic-how-america-has-changed-since-1940-2012-3
- http://www.livinghistoryfarm.org/farminginthe40s/life_27.html
- http://www.onthisday.com/events/date/1940
- http://mbg-americanculture1940s.weebly.com/sports.html
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jackie_Robinson
- http://www.onthisday.com/countries/usa/connecticut
- http://takemeback.to/22-April-1941#.VgGG0PlViko
- http://afroamhistory.about.com/od/timelines/fl/African-American-History-Timeline-1940-to-1949.htm