On the anniversary of the 1988 Halabja chemical attack, Kurds across Iraq and abroad held mass protests demanding recognition and justice. The massacre had killed thousands of civilians.
📍 Halabja, Iraq
Mississippi officially ratified the 13th Amendment to abolish slavery—148 years after it was passed nationally in 1865. The symbolic move came after decades of oversight and delay.
📍 Jackson, Mississippi, United States
In a historic referendum, white South African voters approved the end of apartheid, paving the way for multiracial democracy and the election of Nelson Mandela two years later.
📍 South Africa
Dr. Antonia Novello became the first woman and first Hispanic appointed U.S. Surgeon General, promoting public health campaigns and pioneering health equity efforts.
📍 Washington, D.C., United States
Ousted Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos fled into exile with U.S. protection, just as investigations into political assassinations and corruption escalated under the new Aquino government.
📍 Manila, Philippines / Honolulu, United States
American soldiers killed over 500 unarmed Vietnamese civilians in the village of My Lai during the Vietnam War. The massacre became a symbol of the war's brutality and sparked global outrage.
📍 My Lai, Quang Ngai Province, South Vietnam
NASA launched Gemini 8, which achieved the first-ever docking between two spacecraft in orbit. Piloted by Neil Armstrong and David Scott, the mission paved the way for Apollo lunar operations.
📍 Cape Kennedy, Florida, United States
The United States launched Vanguard 1, the fourth artificial Earth satellite and the first to use solar power. It remains in orbit as the oldest human-made object still circling Earth.
📍 Cape Canaveral, Florida, United States
France officially ended its mandate over Syria and Lebanon, granting independence to both countries and marking a key moment in the decolonization of the Middle East.
📍 Damascus, Syria and Beirut, Lebanon
As part of post-armistice terms with the Allies, Finland officially declared war on Germany in what became known as the Lapland War, expelling Nazi forces from its territory.
📍 Lapland, Finland
Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg signed the Benelux Treaty to establish an economic union, serving as a forerunner to later European integration and the European Union.
📍 London, United Kingdom (in exile)
The U.S. Commerce Department concluded its investigation into the Hindenburg disaster, attributing the explosion to a combination of static electricity and hydrogen leakage. The findings shaped airship safety protocols.
📍 Washington, D.C., United States
Adolf Hitler ordered the construction of the Siegfried Line (Westwall), a line of defensive fortifications opposite France's Maginot Line. It signaled German rearmament and defiance of the Treaty of Versailles.
📍 Western Germany
Tennessee became the first U.S. state to repeal its Prohibition enforcement law following growing national opposition to the alcohol ban. It signaled a broader shift leading to the 21st Amendment.
📍 Nashville, Tennessee, United States
Robert H. Goddard launched the world’s first liquid-fueled rocket in Massachusetts. This groundbreaking event marked the beginning of modern rocketry and space exploration.
📍 Auburn, Massachusetts, United States
The first issue of the journal 'Science' was published in New York City. It went on to become one of the world's leading peer-reviewed academic publications in science and research.
📍 New York City, United States
U.S. forces launched the first large-scale amphibious assault in American history at Veracruz during the Mexican-American War. The operation set a precedent for future military landings.
📍 Veracruz, Mexico
James Madison, known as the 'Father of the Constitution' and the 4th President of the United States, was born. He played a critical role in drafting the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights.
📍 Port Conway, Virginia, British America
Caroline Herschel, a groundbreaking female astronomer who discovered multiple comets and contributed to star cataloging alongside her brother William, was born in Hanover.
📍 Hanover, Holy Roman Empire (now Germany)
Tiberius, the second emperor of Rome and successor to Augustus, died after a long and often controversial reign. His death paved the way for Caligula's ascent to power.
📍 Misenum, Roman Empire (modern-day Italy)