Achille Castiglioni, one of Italy’s most influential industrial designers, died. Known for his functional yet playful works, his designs are now part of museum collections around the world.
📍 Milan, Italy
NASA launched the STS-93 mission aboard Space Shuttle Columbia, with Eileen Collins becoming the first woman to command a U.S. space shuttle. The mission deployed the Chandra X-ray Observatory.
📍 Kennedy Space Center, Florida, United States
Apple introduced iMovie, a user-friendly video editing application that democratized digital filmmaking for consumers. It played a key role in the rise of amateur video production and YouTube-era creators.
📍 Cupertino, California, United States
The 1996 Summer Olympics opened in Atlanta, Georgia, marking the centennial of the modern Olympic Games. It brought together 197 nations and over 10,000 athletes despite security and political tensions.
📍 Atlanta, Georgia, United States
President Bill Clinton unveiled the 'Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell' policy, allowing gay Americans to serve in the military without openly disclosing their sexuality. The policy remained controversial until its repeal in 2011.
📍 Washington, D.C., United States
Dai Vernon, known as 'The Professor' and widely regarded as the greatest sleight-of-hand magician of the 20th century, died. He influenced generations of magicians and reshaped close-up magic.
📍 Los Angeles, California, United States
The first official women's Tour de France began, marking a milestone for professional female cycling. Though it was short-lived, the event paved the way for future women's competitions.
📍 France
A. J. Cronin, author of *The Citadel* and *The Keys of the Kingdom*, died. His works combined medical realism with social commentary and helped inspire the founding of the UK’s National Health Service.
📍 Montreux, Switzerland
Joe Flynn, best known for his role as Captain Binghamton in *McHale’s Navy*, died unexpectedly. He became a staple of 1960s American television comedy and Disney films.
📍 Los Angeles, California, United States
Gennady Shpalikov, a prominent Soviet screenwriter, poet, and voice of the 1960s Khrushchev Thaw, died by suicide. His work defined Soviet New Wave cinema and youth disillusionment.
📍 Peredelkino, USSR (now Russia)
A Bolivian painter disguised as a priest attempted to stab Pope Paul VI upon his arrival in Manila. The Pope was wounded but survived, continuing his historic Asia-Pacific tour.
📍 Manila, Philippines
Apollo 11 entered orbit around the Moon in preparation for humanity’s first landing on the lunar surface. The crew conducted final checks before the lunar module’s descent.
📍 Lunar Orbit
Syngman Rhee, the first president of South Korea and a key figure in the country’s post-WWII formation, died in exile. His presidency saw war, authoritarianism, and foundational nation-building.
📍 Honolulu, Hawaii, United States
John A. Lomax, an influential folklorist and ethnomusicologist who preserved hundreds of traditional American songs, died. He laid the groundwork for folk music preservation in the 20th century.
📍 Greenville, Mississippi, United States
Adolf Hitler issued Directive No. 16, calling for the preparation of an invasion of Great Britain under the code name Operation Sea Lion. The plan marked Nazi Germany’s shift to targeting the British Isles during WWII.
📍 Berlin, Germany
Charles Horace Mayo, a pioneering American surgeon and co-founder of the Mayo Clinic, died. His contributions helped revolutionize medical teamwork, diagnostics, and collaborative patient care.
📍 Rochester, Minnesota, United States
The first International Congress of Mathematicians convened in Zurich, Switzerland. The event set the foundation for global collaboration in mathematical research and the eventual creation of the Fields Medal.
📍 Zurich, Switzerland
The First Battle of Bull Run (Manassas) began in Virginia, marking the first major land battle of the American Civil War and dispelling hopes of a short conflict.
📍 Manassas, Virginia, United States
The Seneca Falls Convention concluded with the signing of the Declaration of Sentiments, a foundational document in the global fight for women’s rights and gender equality.
📍 Seneca Falls, New York, United States
Mary Tudor, sister of King Henry VIII and former Queen of France, died. Her short-lived marriage to King Louis XII was a diplomatic alliance, and her later marriage caused scandal in the Tudor court.
📍 Westhorpe Hall, Suffolk, England