Category: Éphémérides (anglais)

US confirmed cases of COVID-19 pass 1 million, while death toll of 58,365 surpasses that of US soldiers killed in Vietnam War (Johns Hopkins).

Disney says Marvel film “Avengers: Endgame” made estimated $1.2 billion worldwide, first film to make more than 1 billion on opening.

TV series “Game of Thrones: The Long Night” episode debuts with the longest battle ever screened (nearly 80 mins), surpassing “Lord of the Rings” Battle of Helm’s Deep (44 mins).

Millionaire Dennis Tito becomes the world’s first space tourist.

Winnipeg Jets play their final game as a team, and are eliminated from the playoffs, losing to the Detroit Red Wings 4-1; the s-called ‘Winnipeg Whiteouts’ play as the Phoenix Coyotes in the 1996-97 season.

Iran protests sale of “Satanic Verses” by Salman Rushdie.

King Crismson with Greg Lake & Ian McDonald debuts

Charles de Gaulle resigned as president of France.

Muhammad Ali refused induction into the U.S. Army and was stripped of boxing title. He cited religious grounds for his refusal.

Luciano Pavarotti makes his debut at La Scala, Milan in Franco Zeffirelli’s production of “La bohème” with Mirella Freni.

The yellow fever vaccine for humans was announced.

Swedish band ABBA announce they have recorded new songs for the first time since 1982.

Historic Korean summit, the North’s Kim Jong-un and Moon Jae-in of South Korea agree to officially end Korean war and rid peninsula of nuclear weapons.

In New York, NY, construction began on the 1,776-foot Freedom Tower on the site of former World Trade Center.

The superjumbo jet aircraft Airbus A380 makes its first flight from Toulouse, France.

Beijing students take over Tiananmen Square in China.

Nolan Ryan (Houston Astros) broke a 55-year-old major league baseball record when he struck out his 3,509th batter of his career.

Parti Quebecois government proposes the Charter of the French Language as Bill One in the National Assembly; to make French thee working language in Quebec and limit the use of English.

In Montreal, Prime Minister Lester Pearson lighted a flame to open Expo 67.

“Pampers” were patented by R.C. Duncan.

Mao Zedong resigns as Chairman of the PRC.

Leading Nazi and Reichsführer of the SS Heinrich Himmler orders establishment of Auschwitz Concentration Camp.

IV Summer (Modern) Olympic Games open in London.

Ludwig van Beethoven composes his famous piano piece “Für Elise”.

Comedian Bill Cosby is found guilty of sexual assault in Pennsylvania.

“Iron Man 2”, directed by Jon Favreau, starring Robert Downey Jr. and Gwyneth Paltrow, premieres in Los Angeles

1st day of voting in first ever multi-racial elections in South Africa.

NBC announces Conan O’Brien to replace David Letterman.

Soccer star Diego Maradona, suspended for using cocaine, arrested in Argentina for possession & distribution of illegal narcotics.

The world’s worst nuclear disaster to date occurred at Chernobyl, in Kiev. Thirty-one people died in the incident and thousands more were exposed to radioactive material.

Argentina surrenders to Great Britain on South Georgia Island, near the Falkland Islands.

The Boston Celtics won their sixth consecutive NBA title. They won two more before the streak came to an end.

Fidel Castro Cuban Premier visits Montreal.

Marshal Philippe Pétain, leader of France’s Vichy collaborationist regime during World War II, arrested for treason.

The Gestapo, the official secret police force of Nazi Germany, is established.

Ice hockey makes its Olympic debut at the Antwerp Games with Canada’s 12-1 drubbing of Sweden in the gold medal match.

Frederic Chopin’s “Grand Polonaise Brillante” premieres in Paris.

“La Marseillaise”, later the national anthem of France, is composed by Claude Joseph Rouget de Lisle in Strasbourg.

Copernicus made his first observations of Saturn.

7.8-magnitude earthquake near Kathmandu in Nepal, killing 8000, leaving over 100,000 homeless, destroying many historic sites.

The U.S. Hubble Space Telescope was placed into Earth’s orbit. It was released by the space shuttle Discovery.

1st submerged circumnavigation of Earth completed by USS submarine Triton in 60 days, 21 hours.

The St. Lawrence Seaway, linking the North American Great Lakes and the Atlantic Ocean, officially opens to shipping.

Quebec women allowed to vote and run for office in provincial elections, 22 years after women were granted the federal vote.

Sigmund Freud, father of Psychology, opens practice at Rathausstrasse 7, Vienna.

Work began on the Suez Canal in Egypt.

The guillotine was first used to execute highwayman Nicolas J. Pelletier.

Daniel Defoe publishes “Robinson Crusoe”, regarded as the 1st English novel.

Streaming music services overtake worldwide sales of CDs and vinyl for the first time according to IFPI.

Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger is inaugurated as the 265th Pope of the Roman Catholic Church taking the name Pope Benedict XVI.

Thousands of students began striking in Beijing.

Film “Crocodile Dundee” starring Paul Hogan and Linda Kozlowski premieres in Australia (highest grossing film of the year).

Supreme Court of Canada ruling allows Sunday shopping in most provinces.

Cosmonaut Vladimir Komarov dies in Soyuz 1 when its parachute fails to open. He is the first human to die during a space mission.

Winston Churchill knighted by Queen Elizabeth II.

Miles Davis makes recording debut with the Herbie Fields Orchestra, backing singer “Rubberlegs” Wilson, at Savoy Records Studio, Newark, New Jersey.

The arrest of 250 Armenian intellectuals and community leaders in Istanbul marks the beginning of the Armenian Genocide.

Eastman Kodak founded by George Eastman.

US President Donald Trump suggests COVID-19 might be treated by injecting disinfectant or UV lights.

Marvel’s “Avengers: Infinity War” directed by Anthony and Joe Russo, starring Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr and large ensemble cast premieres in Los Angeles.

The first video was uploaded to YouTube.com.

The Coca-Cola Company announced that it was changing its 99-year-old secret formula. New Coke was not successful, which resulted in the resumption of selling the original version.

AIDS-virus identified as HTLV-III (acquired immune deficiency syndrome).

The Soyuz 1 was launched by Russia.

The Soviet Army fought its way into Berlin.

Civil engineer Sandford Fleming 1827-1915 designs the red Three-Pence Beaver stamp issued this day; the Province of Canada’s first regular postage stamp.

William Shakespeare’s “The Merry Wives of Windsor” is first performed.

Marvel film “Avengers: Endgame” directed by Anthony and Joe Russo starring Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans and an ensemble cast, premieres in Los Angeles.

Patrick Roy plays his final career NHL game.

Disney’s Animal Kingdom opens at Walt Disney World near Orlando, Florida, United States.

7,000 Tutsi slaughtered by Hutus in the stadium at Kibuye, Rwanda.

Barbara Walters becomes 1st female US nightly network news anchor (ABC News).

The first Earth Day is celebrated.

1st human eye transplant performed and failed to restore a 54-year-old man’s vision.

The Rolling Stones start their first North American tour in Montreal.

Lester B. Pearson is sworn in as the 14th Prime Minister of Canada.

Babe Ruth made his pitching debut with the Baltimore Orioles.

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky completes his ballet “Swan Lake”.

The first official National League (NL) baseball game took place. Boston beat Philadelphia 6-5.

Opening of Canada’s first iron smelter at Les Forges de St-Maurice.

Russian President Vladimir Putin warns the West not to cross a “red line” in his state of the union address, amid massing of 100,000 Russian troops on Ukraine border.

Ukrainian comedian Volodymyr Zelensky wins the country’s presidential election in a landslide.

In Beijing, around 100,000 students gather in Tiananmen Square to commemorate Chinese reform leader Hu Yaobang.

After 37 weeks Michael Jackson’s album “Thriller” is knocked off as top album by “Footloose”.

Baseball: Rollie Fingers of the Milwaukee Brewers becomes the first pitcher to record 300 saves.

“Annie” opened on Broadway.

Working at Abbey Road studios in London, The Beatles completed the sessions for Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.

Elvis Presley’s 1st hit record, “Heartbreak Hotel”, becomes #1.

The “Surgeon’s Photograph”, the most famous photo allegedly showing the Loch Ness Monster, is published in the Daily Mail (in 1999, it is revealed to be a hoax).

Ty Cobb makes his pro debut for Augusta (South Atlantic League).

Former police officer Derek Chauvin convicted of the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis.

The Deepwater Horizon drilling rig explodes, killing 11 and causing the rig to sink, causing a massive oil discharge into the Gulf of Mexico and an environmental disaster.

Danica Patrick driving for Andretti Green Racing wins the Indy Japan 300 at Twin Ring Motegi; first female driver in history to win an IndyCar Series race.

Expo ’92 opens in Seville Spain.

Cuban President Fidel Castro announces he is opening the Mariel Port for Cubans to leave, about 125,00 leave in next 5-6 months

“Annie Hall”, directed by Woody Allen and starring Woody Allen and Diane Keaton, is released (Academy Awards Best Picture 1978)

Paul McCartney & Wings release single “Band on the Run” in the US.

Pierre Elliott Trudeau sworn in at Rideau Hall as Canada’s 15th Prime Minister, succeeding Lester Pearson.

Scientists Marie and Pierre Curie isolated the radioactive element radium.

First mobile home (horse drawn) was used in a journey from London to Cyprus.

In Philadelphia, PA, Edgar Allen Poe’s first detective story, “The Murders in the Rue Morgue,” was published in Graham’s Magazine.

First known performance of Shakespeare’s tragedy Macbeth at the Globe Theatre, London.

Jacques Cartier, a French explorer, set sail from St. Malo to explore the North American coastline during which he discovers Canada and Labrador.

San Jose Sharks forward Patrick Marleau breaks Gordie Howe’s record for most games played in the NHL (1,768).

NASA successfully flies its drone helicopter Ingenuity on Mars, first powered aircraft to fly on another world.

Together At Home concert for COVID-19 aid curated by Lady Gaga and streamed worldwide.

Fidel Castro resigns from the Communist Party of Cuba’s central committee after 45 years of holding the title.

Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger elected Pope Benedict XVI of the Papal conclave.

The Simpsons premieres as a short cartoon on The Tracey Ullman Show.

Sally Ride is named the 1st American woman astronaut.

Charles Manson sentenced to life in prison for the murder of Sharon Tate.

Johnny Cash releases his single “Ring Of Fire” written by his future wife June Carter and Merle Kilgore.

Shirley Temple appears in her 1st feature length film, “Stand Up & Cheer”.

1st Boston Marathon (B.A.A. Road Race), the world’s oldest annual marathon inspired by success of the first marathon at the 1896 Summer Olympics.

Fire destroys the Parliament Buildings in Quebec City.

Marie Antoinette marries Louis XVI in a proxy wedding.

Captain James Cook sights the eastern coast of what is now Australia.