President Bill Clinton was acquitted by the U.S. Senate on charges of perjury and obstruction of justice, ending only the second presidential impeachment trial in American history.
📍 Washington, D.C., United States
France officially ended its nuclear testing program in the South Pacific after decades of international opposition. The move marked a shift toward global nuclear test bans and environmental advocacy.
📍 Mururoa Atoll, French Polynesia
Colombia's Nevado del Ruiz volcano showed early signs of activity, beginning a chain of eruptions that led to the devastating Armero tragedy later that year, one of the deadliest lahars in history.
📍 Tolima, Colombia
The U.S. Department of Transportation implemented major deregulation in the airline industry, allowing for open competition and leading to lower fares and rapid expansion of air travel.
📍 Washington, D.C., United States
The 24th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was ratified, prohibiting the use of poll taxes in federal elections. It was a major victory for the civil rights movement and expanded voting rights.
📍 Washington, D.C., United States
The TIROS-1 satellite began its final testing phase before its launch, marking the beginning of space-based weather forecasting and global meteorological surveillance.
📍 Fort Monmouth, New Jersey, United States
Hamilton Holmes became the first African American student admitted to Georgia State College, breaking racial barriers in higher education in the Deep South.
📍 Atlanta, Georgia, United States
Gamel Abdel Nasser assumed the role of premier of Egypt, beginning a transformative era in Egyptian and Arab politics. He later became president and a leader of the Non-Aligned Movement.
📍 Cairo, Egypt
Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit of India was elected President of the United Nations General Assembly, becoming the first woman to hold the post and a symbol of gender equality in global diplomacy.
📍 New York City, United States (UN Headquarters)
Dr. Hilary Koprowski administered the first successful live-virus polio vaccine to a child, preceding Jonas Salk’s work and laying groundwork for mass immunization strategies.
📍 New York City, United States
Patrice Lumumba, the first Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and a key figure in African decolonization, was born. His assassination in 1961 became a Cold War flashpoint.
📍 Onalua, Belgian Congo (now D.R. Congo)
The Mexican Constitution of 1917 was enacted, establishing significant labor rights, land reforms, and secular education. It was among the world’s most progressive constitutions of its time.
📍 Querétaro, Mexico
The U.S. Congress established the Department of Labor as a cabinet-level agency to promote the welfare of workers and address labor issues during rapid industrial expansion.
📍 Washington, D.C., United States
The first South American Esperanto Congress was held in Brazil, promoting the international auxiliary language as a tool for cross-cultural understanding and peace.
📍 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
On this day, the United States formally asserted sovereignty over the Philippines, prompting the start of the Philippine-American War. Filipino nationalists resisted U.S. rule after Spain ceded the territory.
📍 Manila, Philippines
Western Union sent its first commercial telegram, revolutionizing long-distance communication and laying the foundation for modern messaging systems worldwide.
📍 Rochester, New York, United States
General Zachary Taylor led U.S. troops to a critical victory over Mexican forces at the Battle of Buena Vista, cementing his reputation and influencing his rise to the presidency.
📍 Buena Vista, Coahuila, Mexico
Facing colonial unrest, the British Parliament repealed the Stamp Act Declaratory Clause, signaling a tactical retreat in taxing authority but retaining sovereignty, fueling tensions that led to the American Revolution.
📍 London, United Kingdom
Ole Rømer presented observational evidence that light travels at a finite speed, based on discrepancies in the observed timings of Jupiter’s moon eclipses. His work laid groundwork for future physics.
📍 Copenhagen, Denmark
Roger Williams secured a royal charter for the Colony of Rhode Island, which became a haven for religious freedom and separation of church and state, influencing future American values.
📍 London, England / Providence, Rhode Island