1991 – Race riots break out in the Crown Heights area of New York City
The violent race riots broke out between African-American and Orthodox Jewish residents of Crown Heights after 2 children were accidentally run down by the motorcade of Menachem Mendel Schneerson, a leader of the Orthodox Jews. This resulted in a 3-day long riot that ended in the death of 2 men and several injuries.
1978 – A fire at the Rex Cinema in Abadan, Iran, kills over 400 people
The incident which is considered to be a run-up to the Iranian Revolution occurred during the screening of The Deers, a film by Iranian director Masoud Kimiai. It is thought that 4 extremists locked the gates of the theater and set it on fire. Many people at the time believed that the fire was started by SAVAK, the Iranian intelligence agency.
1964 – World’s first geostationary satellite launched
The communications satellite Syncom 3 was launched from Cape Canaveral in Florida. A geostationary satellite is a man-made object that follows the Earth’s rotation around its axis. To observers on Earth, that means the satellite appears not to be moving in the sky. Like all geostationary satellites, Syncom 3 was placed in orbit about 22,236 miles (35,786 kilometers) from Earth, above the Equator and near the International Date Line. The 1964 Tokyo Olympics were broadcast to the United States with the help of this satellite.
1960 – Sputnik 5 is launched by USSR
The Soviet spacecraft carried two dogs, Strelka and Belka, who became the first living beings to survive in space.
1919 – Afghanistan gains independence from the United Kingdom
The Emirate of Afghanistan had been a British protected state since 1879. In spring 1919, Emir Amanullah (later King Amanullah) ascended the throne and initiated the Third Anglo-Afghan War. The war ended with the signing of the Treaty of Rawalpindi on August 8, 1919, establishing Afghanistan's independence from the United Kingdom.
1946 – Bill Clinton
American politician, 42nd President of the United States
1942 – Fred Thompson
American politician, actor
1919 – Malcolm Forbes
American publisher
1883 – Coco Chanel
French fashion designer, founded the Chanel Company
1871 – Orville Wright
American aviation pioneer
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1994 – Linus Pauling
American chemist, activist, Nobel Prize laureate
1977 – Groucho Marx
American comedian, actor
1936 – Federico García Lorca
Spanish poet, playwright, director
1895 – John Wesley Hardin
American outlaw, gunfighter
14 – Augustus
Roman Emperor