On this day in
1903
Edwin S. Porter’s The Great Train Robbery premiered, revolutionizing cinema. Just 12 minutes long and filmed in New Jersey, it was the first true narrative movie—14 scenes of outlaws, a daring train heist, and a posse in pursuit. Its final shot, a bandit firing straight at the camera, stunned audiences and secured its place as a milestone in film history.
1918
Iceland Established as a sovereign kingdom in union with Denmark.
1927
A Political Union in China — Soong Mei-ling—later known as Madame Chiang Kai-shek—married Chinese nationalist leader Chiang Kai-shek.
Born into one of China’s most influential families and educated in the United States, Mei-ling became a powerful figure in her own right. During the war against Japan and the civil war with Mao’s communists, she served as her husband’s closest advisor, public diplomat, and tireless advocate for wounded soldiers and civilians.
Fluent in English and steeped in Western culture, she traveled widely to rally international support for China. She outlived Chiang Kai-shek, who died in 1975, and remained a symbol of resilience and diplomacy.
1940
Legendary comedian Richard Pryor was born. He was known for his raw, honest, and groundbreaking humor, Pryor transformed stand-up comedy and inspired generations of performers. His birthday adds a pop culture celebration to the date.
1955
Rosa Parks refused to give up her bus seat in Montgomery, Alabama. Her act of courage sparked the Montgomery Bus Boycott and became a defining moment in the Civil Rights Movement in the United States of America.
It’s remembered worldwide as a story of empowerment and resilience.
1982
In one of many bloody chapters of Lebanon’s civil war (1975-1990), Lebanese Druze leader Walid Jumblatt narrowly escaped death when a remote-controlled car bomb exploded just yards from him on Beirut’s Hamra Street. The blast killed six and wounded dozens, including Jumblatt and his wife. Already a key figure in Lebanon’s civil war, his survival reinforced his role as a symbol of Druze resilience and political defiance during one of the country’s most volatile chapters.
1988
Carlos Salinas de Gortari was sworn in as president of Mexico in Mexico City, not New Mexico. The ceremony drew thousands, including Cuban leader Fidel Castro, making his first return to Mexico since the 1959 revolution.
Castro’s presence—alongside seven other Latin American heads of state—was treated as a guest of honor moment and signaled Cuba’s gradual re‑engagement with the region after decades of isolation.
Salinas’s inauguration marked the beginning of a controversial presidency that would steer Mexico through economic reforms and political turbulence.