APRIL 2, 1949

SATURDAY
$1,000 INVESTED IN COKE STOCK (KO) IN 1949
WOULD HAVE MADE YOU $3,767,246 IN THE 2025 DATASET
Min_Wage_Hourly: $0.71
Median_Home_Price: $7,060.00
Gas_Price_Avg: $0.26
Bread_Price_Avg: $0.14
Movie_Ticket_Avg: $0.44
First_Class_Stamp: $0.03
Milk_Price_Avg: $0.80
Top Movies From 1949
1 Samson and Delilah
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Samson and Delilah
2 Battleground
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Battleground
3 Jolson Sings Again
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Jolson Sings Again
4 Sands of Iwo Jima
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Sands of Iwo Jima
5 I Was a Male War Bride
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I Was a Male War Bride
6 Pinky
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Pinky
7 Mr. Belvedere Goes to College
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Mr. Belvedere Goes to College
8 Neptune's Daughter
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Neptune's Daughter
9 Little Women
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Little Women
10 Sorrowful Jones
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Sorrowful Jones
The Accused
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The Accused
Act of Violence
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Act of Violence
Caught
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Caught
Down to the Sea in Ships
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Down to the Sea in Ships
The Bribe
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The Bribe
A Letter to Three Wives
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A Letter to Three Wives
The Set-Up
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The Set-Up
Knock on Any Door
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Knock on Any Door
The Red Pony
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The Red Pony
Gun Crazy
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Gun Crazy
Criss Cross
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Criss Cross
Impact
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Impact
The Paleface
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The Paleface
The Snake Pit
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The Snake Pit
Rope
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Rope
He Walked by Night
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He Walked by Night
Macbeth
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Macbeth
Portrait of Jennie
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Portrait of Jennie
Joan of Arc
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Joan of Arc
April 2, 1949 Trivia
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The Story of April 2, 1949

On April 2, 1949, American students received a significant boost in opportunities to travel abroad, as it was announced that most space on three American ships and a Dutch liner would be allocated for students heading to Europe.

Inventions & Breakthroughs of April 1949

Gadgets, lab surprises, odd bets, and future-shocks from this slice of the calendar.

1 Commercial Transistor Production
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Commercial Transistor Production
2 Jet Commercial Airliner
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Jet Commercial Airliner
3 Hydrogen Bomb Design
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Hydrogen Bomb Design
4 Magnetic Resonance Imaging Theory
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Magnetic Resonance Imaging Theory
5 Modern Credit Card Concept
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Modern Credit Card Concept
6 Anti-Lock Braking System Prototype
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Anti-Lock Braking System Prototype
7 Artificial Intelligence Theory
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Artificial Intelligence Theory
8 Polyester Fabric
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Polyester Fabric
9 Portable Television
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Portable Television
10 High-Speed Photocopier
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High-Speed Photocopier

The Sounds of

Popular recordings and roots/country selections associated with the year

HEADLINES ON April 2, 1949

Full News Archive

  • Headline: Student Sailings to Europe in 1949. Impact: The decision to allot all space for students on ships led to an unexpected surge in global student exchange programs. Fast forward a few decades, and now students are hopping on space shuttles instead of ships, all thanks to this maritime decision. Who knew? The future of education was on the high seas!. Fact: Did you know that student travel often leads to life-long friendships? Or at least awkward Facebook posts from those who went on a 'life-changing trip' to Europe?.
  • Headline: Remembering Harry C. Walber. Impact: Harry C. Walber's prominence may have only lasted a moment, but his disappearance from headlines created a butterfly effect leading to the rise of countless other Harrys, each vying for the spotlight. Now, there's a Harry for every occasion!. Fact: Harrys have statistically made up 1% of the population since the dawn of time. Coincidence? I think not..
  • Headline: Mayor O'Dwyer Unveils 1949 Budget Proposal. Impact: The mayor's budget cuts for 31 units set the stage for the modern-day 'penny-pinching' political strategies. Fast forward, and now every mayor is cutting education budgets while claiming it's 'for the children.' Classic!. Fact: In the world of politics, a budget cut is just a fancy way of saying, 'We have no idea what we're doing, but we’ll pretend to care!'.
  • Headline: HAYDN 'CREATION' CONCERT FEATURE; Dessoff Choirs and National Orchestral Association Join in Presenting Work. Impact: The performance of Haydn's 'Creation' not only influenced the music scene but also inspired the rise of classical music festivals worldwide. Without this concert, we might have been stuck with endless pop covers and no strings attached!. Fact: Fun fact: Haydn’s 'Creation' is so powerful that it has been known to awaken the inner classical music lover in even the most die-hard pop fans. Proceed with caution!.
  • Headline: BASTION OF HARBOR AWAITS NEW ROLE; Fort Lafayette, Gunless Relic of 1812, Saved by Moses, May Yet Become a City Park LEASED FROM NAVY IN 1948 Then Quest Was Won to Keep Historic Isle From Use for Night Club or Legion Post. Impact: Fort Lafayette’s transformation into a city park sparked a movement for preserving historical landmarks. Fast forward, and now every park has a plaque reminding you of how much better things were 200 years ago!. Fact: Fun fact: Historic preservation is just a fancy term for keeping old stuff around because someone said it was important back in the day. Who needs new parks anyway?.
  • Headline: JAMES J. LIS$1TZYN. Impact: James J. Lissitzyn may not have made much impact, but his name inspired countless others to adopt obscure surnames, leading to an entire generation of people with names that sound like they should be on a law firm sign.. Fact: The more complicated your last name, the more likely you are to be asked for spelling at Starbucks. It's the law of averages!.
  • Headline: HOGAN BACK HOME AGAIN; Injured Golfer in Fort Worth, Tired but Still Smiling. Impact: Hogan’s return from injury became a rallying cry for athletes everywhere. This led to the creation of countless inspirational sports movies where the comeback is always greater than the setback. Cue the montage!. Fact: Did you know that 'injured athlete returns' is the most popular plotline in sports movies? It's basically an entire genre based on 'Let’s get our hopes up!'.
  • Headline: PIER RAIL RATE EQUALIZED; ICC Order Affects Edgewater and Hoboken Docks. Impact: The equalization of pier rail rates was the catalyst for the modern shipping industry, leading to a wave of global trade and commerce that would eventually result in next-day delivery services. Thank you, bureaucratic order!. Fact: Fun fact: The only thing more exciting than equalized rail rates is watching paint dry. But hey, at least it helped get your packages faster!.
  • Headline: 14 BREWERIES IDLE IN WORK STOPPAGE; 7,000 Quit in Row on Safety and Security Demands Here -- Taverns Not Affected 14 BREWERIES IDLE AS WORKERS STRIKE. Impact: The measles epidemic in Jersey was a sobering reminder of the importance of vaccinations. This event sparked a public health movement and led to strict vaccination laws that would shape modern healthcare policies. Sometimes, it takes a crisis to wake people up!. Fact: Did you know that measles is so contagious it can survive for up to two hours in the air after an infected person leaves? Now that’s a party crasher!.
  • Headline: Measles Epidemic in Jersey.

Wall Street Time Machine

The Right Call: If you'd invested $1,000 in any one of these companies in 1949, here's what the stored 2025 dataset estimates.
Rank #1
JNJ
Johnson & Johnson
Price in 1949
$0.06
2025 dataset value
$3,433,939

Johnson & Johnson - If you invested $1,000 in 1949, it would be worth $3,433,939 today (3433.9x return)

Rank #2
PG
Procter & Gamble
Price in 1949
$0.25
2025 dataset value
$586,657

Procter & Gamble - If you invested $1,000 in 1949, it would be worth $586,657 today (586.7x return)

Rank #3
KMB
Kimberly-Clark
Price in 1949
$0.69
2025 dataset value
$147,887

Kimberly-Clark - If you invested $1,000 in 1949, it would be worth $147,887 today (147.9x return)

🦸 Top 5 Comics
Vault of Horror #12
Vault of Horror #12
$1,500
All-Negro Comics #1
All-Negro Comics #1
$85
Adventure Comics #252
Adventure Comics #252
$1,500
Captain America Comics #71
Captain America Comics #71
$1,200
Joe Palooka Comics #55
Joe Palooka Comics #55
$150
🧸 Top 5 Toys
LEGO Bricks
LEGO Bricks
$300.00
Silly Putty
Silly Putty
$75.00
The Buzzy Bee
The Buzzy Bee
$150.00
Candy Land
Candy Land
$50.00
Clip-Clop the Harness Horse
Clip-Clop the Harness Horse
$150.00
⚾ Top 5 Trading Cards
1949 Bowman Jackie Robinson
1949 Bowman Jackie Robinson
$250,000
1949 Leaf Satchel Paige
1949 Leaf Satchel Paige
$228,000
1949 Bowman Stan Musial
1949 Bowman Stan Musial
$30,000
1949 Bowman Duke Snider
1949 Bowman Duke Snider
$30,000
1949 Leaf Babe Ruth
1949 Leaf Babe Ruth
$89,175