Seventy years after its founding in 1888, the National Geographic Society introduces the first photograph on the cover of its increasingly popular journal. Following a tradition of American flag covers in July that began during World War II, the July 1959 issue features the new, 49-star banner. Alaska, admitted to the Union in January 1959, is profiled in several articles, and a map of the newest state is included as a supplement with the issue.
July 1959—First Photograph Appears on the Cover
Seventy years after its founding in 1888, the National Geographic Society introduces the first photograph on the cover of its increasingly popular journal. Following a tradition of American flag covers in July that began during World War II, the July 1959 issue features the new, 49-star banner. Alaska, admitted to the Union in January 1959, is profiled in several articles, and a map of the newest state is included as a supplement with the issue.
National Geographic Magazine: 50 Years of Covers
Flip through some of the most compelling National Geographic covers from the last 50 years.
See every issue since 1888 cover-to-cover with Nat Geo PLUS, subscribing members’ all-access pass to the archive and more.
This content is Subscriber-Exclusive
You must have a National Geographic subscription to explore this article.