PG-13 Rating Debuts
The PG-13 movie rating was introduced by the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) on July 1, 1984. This new category was created in response to concerns from parents about films that contained levels of violence and maturity not suitable for younger viewers but not severe enough to warrant an R rating. The first film […]
Canada Day – Formation of Canada
On July 1, 1867, the British North America Act came into effect, uniting the three separate colonies of the Province of Canada, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia into a single Dominion within the British Empire called Canada. This day, now celebrated as Canada Day, marked the birth of Canada as a nation, with its own […]
Misty Copeland Becomes First Black Principal Dancer
Misty Copeland made history on June 30, 2015, when she was promoted to principal dancer at American Ballet Theater (ABT), becoming the first African American woman to hold this position in the company’s 75-year history. Her achievement marked a significant moment in the world of classical ballet, which had long been criticized for its lack […]
“Gone With the Wind” Published
“Gone With the Wind,” a novel by Margaret Mitchell, was published on June 30, 1936. This epic historical romance set in the American South during the Civil War and Reconstruction era became one of the most popular books of its time. It received the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1937 and was later adapted into […]
Spanish Retreat from Aztec Capital
On June 30, 1520, during a pivotal moment in the Spanish conquest of Mexico, known as “La Noche Triste” (The Sad Night), Hernán Cortés and his forces made a desperate and deadly retreat from Tenochtitlan, the Aztec capital. The retreat followed a series of intense conflicts between the Spanish and the Aztec people, under the […]
U.S. Space Shuttle Docks with Russian Space Station
In a significant demonstration of post-Cold War international cooperation, the U.S. Space Shuttle Atlantis docked with the Russian space station Mir on June 29, 1995. This event marked the first shuttle-Mir rendezvous and began a series of joint missions known as the Shuttle-Mir Program. The collaboration not only helped pave the way for the International […]
Supreme Court Strikes Down Death Penalty
On June 29, 1972, the U.S. Supreme Court delivered its decision in Furman v. Georgia, effectively striking down the death penalty across the nation and changing the landscape of capital punishment. The court ruled that the death penalty, as administered at the time, constituted “cruel and unusual punishment” in violation of the Eighth and Fourteenth […]
The Globe Theatre Burns Down
On June 29, 1613, the original Globe Theatre in London, famously associated with William Shakespeare, was destroyed by fire during a performance of “Henry VIII.” A theatrical cannon, used for special effects, misfired and ignited the wooden beams and thatching. Despite the destruction, the Globe Theatre was quickly rebuilt the following year and continued to […]
Bald Eagle Removed from List of Threatened Species
On June 28, 2007, the bald eagle, America’s national symbol, was officially removed from the list of threatened and endangered species under the Endangered Species Act. This milestone reflected decades of conservation efforts, including habitat protection and the banning of harmful pesticides like DDT. The recovery of the bald eagle population from the brink of […]
The Stonewall Riots Begin
The Stonewall Riots, a series of spontaneous demonstrations, began on June 28, 1969, at the Stonewall Inn in New York City’s Greenwich Village. These riots are widely considered to be the catalyst for the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement in the United States and around the world. Sparked by a police raid, the protests and violent […]