Category: Éphémérides (anglais)

The World Health Organization declares the Coronavirus a Public Health Emergency of International Concern at a meeting in Geneva.

The Hudson’s Bay Company announces it is selling its fur business due to declining sales; the HBC was originally founded as a fur trading company in 1670.

Rock band Kiss plays their 1st show at the Coventry Club in Queens, NY.

The Beatles’ last public performance, on the roof of Apple Records in London. The impromptu concert is broken up by the police.

State funeral of Winston Churchill at St Paul’s Cathedral in London.

Yves Saint Laurent, at age 22, held his first major fashion show in Paris.

Elvis Presley records his version of “Blue Suede Shoes”.

Mahatma Gandhi assassinated by Hindu extremist Nathuram Godse.

V Winter Olympic Games open in St Moritz, Switzerland.

Adolf Hitler was named the German Chancellor.

“Around the World in 80 Days” by Jules Verne is published in France by Pierre-Jules Hetzel.

On January 29, hundreds of truckers converge in Ottawa. The Canadian capital is the meeting place for thousands of demonstrators who showed up to express their dissatisfaction with the health measures, against the COVID-19 vaccines or their dissatisfaction with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his government.

Marvel film “Black Panther” directed by Ryan Coogler and starring Chadwick Boseman premieres in Los Angeles

David Beckham launches a Major League Soccer team in Miami.

Attack on mosque in Quebec kills 6 and injures 17, shooter is French-Canadian student

Ken Dryden’s #29 jersey is retired by the Montreal Canadiens.

Lucien Bouchard sworn in as Premier of Quebec; former Bloc Quebecois Leader replaces Jacques Parizeau.

IX Winter Olympic Games open in Innsbruck, Austria

The first members to the NFL’s Hall of Fame were named in Canton, OH.

Walt Disney’s “Sleeping Beauty” released

The first members of major league baseball’s Hall of Fame were named in Cooperstown, NY.

Walt Disney starts work as an artist with KC Slide Co for $40 a week.

In World War I, Paris was bombed by German zeppelins for the first time.

The Coca-Cola Company is incorporated in Atlanta, Georgia.

Opening of McGill University in Montreal; built with legacy from fur trader James McGill.

Bernie Sanders mittens worn to the inauguration raise $1.8 million for Vermont charities after images go viral.

Australian Open Men’s Tennis: Roger Federer beats Marin Čilic 6-2, 6-7, 6-3, 3-6, 6-1 to win his record 20th Grand Slam title.

The U.S. space shuttle Challenger exploded just after takeoff. All seven of its crewmembers were killed.

Charity single “We Are the World” is recorded by supergroup USA for Africa (Michael Jackson, Lionel Richie and other pop stars).

Six Americans who had fled the U.S. embassy in Tehran, Iran, on November 4, 1979, left Iran using false Canadian diplomatic passports. The Americans had been hidden at the Canadian embassy in Tehran.

The Lego company patents the design of its Lego bricks, still compatible with bricks produced today.

Iceland became the first country to introduce legalized abortion.

Work begins on the Eiffel Tower in Paris.

Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice is first published in the United Kingdom.

Australian Open Women’s Tennis: Caroline Wozniacki beats Simona Halep 7-6, 3-6, 6-4 to win her first Grand Slam title.

Steve Jobs unveiled the Apple iPad.

Michael Jackson is burned during filming for Pepsi commercial.

LA Kings end Wayne Gretzky’s NHL-record 51-game scoring streak.

A fire in the Apollo 1 Command Module kills astronauts Gus Grissom, Ed White and Roger B. Chaffee during a launch rehearsal.

Montreal starts to build subway, at estimated cost of $300 million; Quebec agrees to help with financing.

“Heartbreak Hotel” single released by Elvis Presley, his first million-selling single.

Siege of Leningrad lifted by the Wehrmacht after 880 days and more than 2 million Russians killed.

John Baird, a Scottish inventor, demonstrated a pictorial transmission machine called television.

“Tarzan of the Apes”, 1st Tarzan film, premieres at Broadway Theater.

Thomas Edison patents electric incandescent lamp.

First regular mail coach service starts between Quebec and Montreal.

LA Lakers basketball legend Kobe Bryant dies in a helicopter crash in foggy conditions in the hills above Calabasas, southern California; considered one of the greatest players in the game’s history.

U.S. President Bill Clinton denied having an affair with a former White House intern, saying “I did not have sexual relations with that woman, Miss Lewinsky.”

“Phantom of the Opera” opens at Majestic Theater NYC for 4,000+ performances.

Edmonton Oiler Wayne Gretzky scores 50th goal in 49th game of season.

“The Dukes of Hazzard” premieres on US TV network CBS.

“Bridge over Troubled Water” 5th and final studio album by Simon & Garfunkel is released (Grammy Award Album of the Year, Best Engineered Non-Classical Album 1971).

“Are You Lonesome Tonight?” by Elvis Presley hits #1

VII Winter Olympic Games open in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy

Filming begins on film “Gone With the Wind”.

Former Ford Motor Company executive Henry Leland launches the Lincoln Motor Company which he later sold to his former employer.

The Cullinan diamond, at 3,106.75 carats, was found by Captain Wells at the Premier Mine, near Pretoria, South Africa.

Documentary “Leaving Neverland” detailing singer Michael Jackson’s relationship with two boys premieres at the Sundance Film Festival.

The first wave of the Egyptian revolution begins in Egypt, with a series of street demonstrations, marches, rallies, acts of civil disobedience, riots, labour strikes, and violent clashes in Cairo, Alexandria, and throughout other cities in Egypt.

NASA’s Opportunity rover lands on the surface of Mars.

Ottawa Senators set an NHL record with 16th consecutive home game without a win (0-15-1) in a 4-2 loss to Detroit at the Palladium; old record (15) shared by 1928 Black Hawks & 1939 Canadiens.

The defense gave its opening statement in the O.J. Simpson trial.

Accused of molesting a 13-year-old boy, Michael Jackson settles a civil lawsuit out of court.

52 Americans held hostage by Iran for 444 days arrived back in US.

Charles Manson and three female members of his “family” were found guilty of one count of conspiracy to commit murder and seven counts of murder in the first degree. The sentences were later commuted to life sentences.

Walt Disney’s animated film “101 Dalmatians”, based on the novel by Dodie Smith and directed by Clyde Geronimi and Hamilton Luske is released in the US.

The first Emmys were presented at the Hollywood Athletic Club.

The 1st Winter Olympic Games were inaugurated in Chamonix in the French Alps.

Soda fountain patented by Gustavus Dows.

Felix Mendelssohn’s “Wedding March” first played at a wedding.

Former US Olympic team doctor Larry Nassar found guilty of molesting over 150 girls, sentenced up to 175 years in prison.

TV drama “The X-Files” returns after 13 years, reuniting lead actors David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson.

“21” 2nd studio album by Adele is released (Grammy Award for Album of the Year 2012).

Walt Disney International and Bob Iger announce it is buying computer animation film studio Pixar for $7.4 billion

Apple introduced the Macintosh during the third quarter of Super Bowl XVIII.

Soviet satellite Cosmos 954, with a nuclear reactor on board, burns up in Earth’s atmosphere, scattering radioactive debris over Canada’s Northwest Territories. Only 1% is recovered.

Jackie Robinson is 1st African American elected to Baseball’s Hall of Fame.

Brian Epstein signs management contract with the Beatles

Charles Vincent Massey appointed Governor General; first Canadian-born.

Jackie Robinson signs highest contract ($35,000) in Dodger history.

Krueger Brewing Company placed the first canned beer on sale in Richmond, VA.

Alfred Hitchcock releases his first film as director – The Pleasure Garden, in England.

Russian city of St Petersburg renamed Leningrad (changed back in 1991).

Lieutenant General Robert Baden-Powell publishes “Scouting for Boys” as a manual for self-instruction in outdoor skills and self-improvement. The book becomes the inspiration for the Scout Movement.

Bernie Ecclestone removed as Formula One boss as Liberty Media completes $8 billion takeover.

Zika virus outbreak in Brazil prompts Colombia, Ecuador, El Salvador and Jamaica to recommend women delay pregnancies for up to 2 years.

Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud is crowned King of Saudi Arabia, on the death of this half-brother King Abdullah.

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inducts its first members: Little Richard, Chuck Berry, James Brown, Ray Charles, Fats Domino, the Everly Brothers, Buddy Holly, Jerry Lee Lewis and Elvis Presley.

Hulk Hogan defeats Iron Sheik to win his 1st World Wrestling Federation title at Madison Gardens, New York.

Bjorn Borg retired from tennis. He had set a record by winning 5 consecutive Wimbledon championships.

Sweden banned aerosol sprays because of damage to environment. They were the first country to do so.

Mike Oldfield’s “Tubular Bells” opened the credits of the movie, “The Exorcist”.

U.S. President Richard Nixon announced that an accord had been reached to end the Vietnam War.

Terrorists throw four firebombs at the Soviet consulate in Montreal, doing slight damage.

China locks down city of Wuhan and its 11 million people, in effort to control the coronavirus with death toll at 17, over 500 people ill.

Netflix becomes the largest digital media and entertainment company in the world worth $100 billion.

Evo Morales is inaugurated as President of Bolivia, becoming the country’s first indigenous president.

Gulf War : Kuwaiti oil facilities are destroyed by Iraqi forces.

Joe Frazier lost the first fight of his professional career to George Foreman.

“Lady Soul” 14th studio album by Aretha Franklin is released (Billboard Album of the Year, 1968).

Queen Victoria of England died after reigning for nearly 64 years. Edward VII, her son, succeeded her.

The National Association, the first professional baseball league, opens its first season in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

The first contingent of 150 Swiss Guards arrives at the Vatican.

The Canadian Dollar sets all-time low against the US Dollar (US$0.6179).

Production of the iconic DeLorean DMC-12 sports car begins in Dunmurry, Northern Ireland.

The Bee Gees’ album “Saturday Night Fever” goes #1 for 24 weeks.

The French Concorde SST aircraft began regular commercial service for Air France and British Airways.

The Boeing 747 made its first commercial flight from New York to London for Pan American.

The Flag of Quebec is adopted and flown for the first time over the National Assembly of Quebec.

British crime writer Agatha Christie publishes her first novel “The Mysterious Affair at Styles” introducing the character Hercule Poirot.

During the French Revolution, King Louis XVI was executed on the guillotine. He had been condemned for treason.