Category: Éphémérides (anglais)

US coffee company Starbucks announces it will stop using plastic straws by 2020, reducing use of more than 1 billion straws a year.

Donkey Kong, a video game created by Nintendo, is released. The game marks the debut of Nintendo’s future mascot, Mario.

Pierre E. Trudeau’s Liberal Party wins Canadian parliamentary election.

Andy Warhol’s first West Coast gallery exhibition in the Ferus Gallery of Los Angeles.

Dick Clark’s 1st appearance as host of American Bandstand.

Bill Haley & Comets’ “Rock Around the Clock” tops the billboards chart, one of the best-selling singles ever.

Buckingham Palace announces the engagement of Princess Elizabeth to Royal Navy Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten, a member of the Greek royal family.

World War II: Battle of Normandy, British and Canadian forces capture Caen, France.

Johnny Weissmuller became the first person to swim the 100 meters freestyle in less than a minute, and actor best known for playing Tarzan in films.

The inaugural Wimbledon Championships begins.

Elton John performed what he says was the last show on the final tour of his career. The 76-year-old award-winning musician took the stage for purportedly the last time ever as a touring artist in Stockholm, Sweden.

Global known death toll from COVID-19 passes 4 million (equal to all deaths in battle since 1982).

US financier Jeffrey Epstein indicted on further charges of sex trafficking of minors.

South Korean golfer Sei Young Ki breaks LPGA 72-hole scoring record with 31 under-par 257, also first to better -30, in winning Thornberry Creek Classic.

Space Shuttle Atlantis is launched in the final mission of the U.S. Space Shuttle program.

J.K. Rowling’s “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire” was released in the U.S. It was the fourth Harry Potter book.

“Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban” the 3rd book of the series by J. K. Rowling is published by Bloomsbury in the UK.

British girls group the Spice Girls release their debut single “Wannabe” in the UK.

The U.S. Patent Office issued a patent for the game “Twister.”

The first issue of The Wall Street Journal is published.

The first French settlement at Quebec was established by Samuel de Champlain.

Stanley Cup Finals: The defending champions, the Tampa Bay Lightning defeated the Montreal Canadiens, 1-0 in game 5 of the series. The Lightning retained their title, 4 wins to 1.

Haiti president Jovenel Moïse (left) assassinated in his home in Pétionville, Haiti, state of emergency declared across the country.

Tesla Motors produces its first mass-market car, the Model 3.

“Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows part 2”, the last Harry Potter film, premieres in London.

Nelson Mandela steps down as President of South Africa.

First Three Tenors concert featuring Plácido Domingo, José Carreras and Luciano Pavarotti at Baths of Caracalla in Rome – recording of is world’s best-selling classical record.

Boris Becker becomes the youngest player ever to win Wimbledon at age 17.

House of Commons passes Trudeau’s Official Languages Act, declares French and English to be the official languages of Canada; makes French equal to English in federal institutions; eases francophone access to the federal public service.

Beatles’ “All You Need is Love” is released.

Elvis Presley makes his radio debut when WHBQ Memphis played his first recording for Sun Records, “That’s All Right. »

The Roswell incident, the (supposed) crash of an alien spaceship near Roswell in New Mexico.

Mary Surratt, Lewis Powell, David Herold and George Atzerodt are executed for their role in the conspiracy to assassinate US President Abraham Lincoln.

Jacques Cartier trades furs with Micmac; first known exchange between Europeans and natives of the Gulf of St. Lawrence.

Mary Simon is named Canada’s first indigenous Governor General by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes agrees to the largest contract for an athlete in sports history, inking a 12-year deal that could end up being worth US$503 million

Pokémon Go, the real-world mobile game by Niantic, is first released.

A 73-car oil train derails in the town of Lac-Mégantic, Quebec and explodes into flames, killing at least 47 people and destroying more than 30 buildings in the town’s central area.

“Forrest Gump”, directed by Robert Zemeckis and starring Tom Hanks, Robin Wright, and Gary Sinise, is released (Academy Awards Best Picture 1995).

John Lennon and Paul McCartney meet for the first time, as teenagers at Woolton Fete, 3 years before forming the Beatles.

The AK-47 goes into production in the Soviet Union.

The first All-Star baseball game was held in Chicago. The American League beat the National League 4-2.

V Summer (Modern) Olympic Games officially open Stockholm, Sweden.

Louis Pasteur successfully tested his anti-rabies vaccine. The child used in the test later became the director of the Pasteur Institute.

Volvo Cars announces all new models by 2019 will be either hybrids or battery powered, 1st automaker to do so.

Wimbledon Men’s Tennis: Roger Federer beats Andy Roddick of the US 5-7, 7-6, 7-6, 3-6, 16-14 for a record 15th Grand Slam singles title.

SARS is declared “contained” by the WHO after affecting 26 countries and resulting in 774 deaths.

Dolly the sheep becomes the first mammal cloned from an adult cell.

Amazon.com founded in Bellevue, Washington by Jeff Bezos.

“Seinfield” (originally titled The Seinfeld Chronicles” screens its pilot episode starring Jerry Seinfeld, Jason Alexander, Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Michael Richards on NBC.

Arthur Ashe became the first black man to win a Wimbledon singles title when he defeated Jimmy Connors.

Governor General Roland Michener invested by Queen Elizabeth with the first ribbon and pendant star of the Order of Canada; founding of the Order of Canada.

The bikini bathing suit, created by Louis Reard, made its debut during a fashion show at the Molitor Pool in Paris. Micheline Bernardini wore the two-piece outfit.

William Booth founded the Salvation Army in London.

Jose Maria Narvaez discovers Point Grey (now Vancouver, British Columbia)

The Statue of Liberty’s crown reopens to the public after 8 years, due to security reasons following the World Trade Center attacks.

The cornerstone of the Freedom Tower is laid on the site of the World Trade Center in New York City.

Klaus Barbie, the former Gestapo chief known as the “Butcher of Lyon,” was convicted by a French court of crimes against humanity and sentenced to life in prison.

Casey Kasem’s “American Top 40” debuts on LA radio.

Beachboys’ “I Get Around” reaches #1.

1st organized rodeo competition held, Prescott, Arizona.

The people of France offer the Statue of Liberty to the people of the United States.

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland is published.

US Congress proclaims the Declaration of Independence and independence from Britain.

The city of Trois-Rivières is founded in New France.

Samuel de Champlain discovers what was later named Lake Champlain in his honour; on Quebec and New York border.

President of Egypt Mohamed Morsi is overthrown by the military after 4 days of protests all over the country calling for Morsi’s resignation, to which he didn’t respond.

Movie “Batman” set record of quickest $100 million (10 days).

“Back to the Future” directed by Robert Zemeckis and starring Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd is released.

The Algerian War of Independence against the French ends.

Jackie Robinson became the first African American to be inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

In Germany, Karl Benz drives 1st automobile.

Dow Jones and Company publishes its first stock average.

The city of Quebec was founded by Samuel de Champlain.

Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy is criminally charged with corruption by French prosecutors.

Ingrid Betancourt and 14 other FARC hostages are rescued by the Colombian armed forces.

Steve Fossett becomes the first person to fly solo around the world nonstop in a balloon.

“Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets” the second book in the series is published by Bloomsbury in the UK

General Motors announced that it was installing electronic road maps as an option in some of its higher-priced cars.

North Vietnam and South Vietnam were reunited.

Sam Walton opens his first Walmart store in Rogers, Arkansas.

The first Wal-Mart store opens for business in Rogers, Arkansas.

Elvis Presley records “Hound Dog” and “Don’t Be Cruel”,

B.J. Lane patented the gas mask.

Thomas Savery patents the first steam engine.

Britain’s Princes William and Harry unveil statue to their mother Princess Diana, on what would have been her 60th birthday, at Kensington Palace.

Russian President Vladimir Putin wins national referendum allowing longer presidential terms of office.

Greece becomes 1st developed country to default on debt to the International Monetary Fund (1.7 billion).

Canadian NHL franchise Winnipeg Jets officially moves to Arizona, renamed the Phoenix Coyotes.

“O Canada” was proclaimed the national anthem of Canada.

Sony introduced the Walkman.

Britain’s Prince Charles was invested as the Prince of Wales.

CTV station CFTO-TV transmits first colour television in Canada.

The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation links television broadcasting across Canada via microwave.

Coca-Cola brings current coke formula to the market.

Albert Einstein introduces his theory of special relativity.

Tour de France: Inaugural race begins in Montgeron, a south-eastern suburb of Paris.

Proclamation of the British North America Act, creating the Dominion of Canada, out of Upper Canada (now Ontario, with its capital at Toronto), Lower Canada (now Quebec, with its capital at Quebec), Nova Scotia and New Brunswick.

1st Canadian coins minted (1, 5, 10 and 20 cent).

FC Barcelona’s Argentine soccer superstar Lionel Messi scores his 700th career goal in a 2-2 draw against Atlético Madrid.

President Donald Trump becomes first sitting US president to set foot in North Korea in the Korean Demilitarized Zone meeting Kim Jong Un.

NHL Draft: Halifax Mooseheads (QMJHL) center Nathan MacKinnon #1 pick by Colorado Avalanche.

“Spider-Man 2” directed by Sam Raimi and starring Toby Maguire and Kirsten Dunst is released.

The United Kingdom transfers sovereignty over Hong Kong to the People’s Republic of China.

Bank of Canada stops issuing one-dollar bills, and starts replacing them with the dollar coins that come to be known as loonies.

Pierre Trudeau officially steps down as Prime Minister of Canada after serving two separate terms for a total of 15 years.

The July 4th scene from the Steven Spielberg movie “Jaws” was filmed.

Cardinal Montini elected Pope Paul VI, 262nd head of Roman Catholic Church.

“Johnny Carson Show” debuts on CBS-TV.

The first Corvette rolled off the Chevrolet assembly line in Flint, MI. It sold for $3,250.

Superman 1st appears in DC Comics’ Action Comics Series issue #1.

Adolf Hitler purged the Nazi Party by destroying the SA and bringing to power the SS in the “Night of the Long Knives.”