In 1906 Finland became the first European nation to grant women the right to vote. In 2005 the Civil Marriage Act legalized same-sex marriage in Canada. And in 2015 the US and Canada resumed full diplomatic relations after five decades.
In 1968 the first Special Olympics Summer Games were held in Soldier Field in Chicago involving 1,000 athletes. In 1969 of course “The Eagle Has Landed” was heard as the first men landed on the moon from Apollo 11 , fulfilling JFKs promise and dream. And in 1976 the US Viking I lander successfully lands on Mars.
Notable people who claim July 20th as their birthday include the Italian poet and scholar Petrarch (1304), Norwegian Everest conqueror Edmund Hillary (1919), and Mexican-American singer-songwriter and guitarist Carlos Santana (1947). In addition, the date is celebratory for 3 actresses and actors: Diane Rigg (1938) of Avengers (the 60s version) and Game of Thrones, Natalie Wood (1938) of the original West Side Story, and Josh Holloway (1969) Sawyer of Lost.
The world said goodbye to Mexican general and rebel Pancho Villa (1923), martial arts extraordinaire Bruce Lee (1973) , Star Trek’s own Scotty – James Doohan (2005), and journalist and White House press corp terror Helen Thomas (2013).
Today is International Chess Day worldwide, and Tree Planting Day in the Central African Republic.
Leave a Reply