Today’s Highlight in History:
On July 13, 1985, the “Live Aid” benefit rock concerts took place simultaneously in London and Philadelphia to raise funds for famine relief in Ethiopia.
Also on this date:
In 1793, French politician, physician, and journalist Jean-Paul Marat was assassinated by Charlotte Corday, who fatally stabbed him in his bath.
In 1863, violent riots against the Civil War military draft broke out in New York City. The insurrection was quelled three days later.
In 1923, in the Hollywood Hills, a sign spelling out “HOLLYWOODLAND” with 50-foot-tall letters was unveiled to promote a real estate development (the last four letters were removed in 1949).In 1930, the inaugural FIFA World Cup commenced in Uruguay.
In 1960, John F. Kennedy secured the Democratic presidential nomination during his party’s convention in Los Angeles.
In 1973, ex-presidential aide Alexander P. Butterfield disclosed the existence of President Richard Nixon’s covert White House taping system to Senate Watergate Committee staff.
In 1999, Angel Maturino Resendiz, suspected of being the “Railroad Killer,” turned himself in in El Paso, Texas.
In 2013, a jury in Florida acquitted neighborhood watch volunteer George Zimmerman of all charges in the shooting of Trayvon Martin, an unarmed black teenager whose death sparked heated discussions on racial profiling, self-defense, and justice.
In 2018, a grand jury indictment, pursued by special counsel Robert Mueller, alleged that the Russian government orchestrated a broad scheme to interfere in the 2016 U.S. presidential election.
In 2020, Washington’s NFL team retired the “Redskins” name and logo due to pressure from sponsors, after enduring decades of criticism for being offensive to Native Americans. (The team was later renamed the Commanders.)
Today’s Birthdays:
- Game show announcer Johnny Gilbert (TV: “Jeopardy!”) turns 96 today.
- Author and Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka celebrates his 90th birthday.
- Actor Patrick Stewart is 84 years old.
- Actor Harrison Ford is 82 today.
- Singer-guitarist Roger McGuinn (The Byrds) turns 82 today.
- Rubik’s Cube inventor Erno Rubik is 80 years old.
- Actor-comedian Cheech Marin celebrates his 78th birthday today.
- Actor Daphne Maxwell Reid turns 76 today.
- Sportswriter and talk show host Tony Kornheiser is celebrating his 76th birthday.
- Actor Didi Conn is 73 years old today.
- Actor Gil Birmingham is 71 today.
- Singer Louise Mandrell turns 70 today.
- Former boxing champion Michael Spinks is 68 today.
- Actor-director Cameron Crowe is 67 today.
- Comedian Tom Kenny turns 62 today.
- Actor Ken Jeong is 55 today.
- Singer Deborah Cox is celebrating her 50th birthday today.
- Actor Aya Cash is 42 years old today.
- Former St. Louis Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina turns 42 today.
- Actor Colton Haynes is 36 years old today.
- Actor Steven R. McQueen is also 36 today.
- Soul singer Leon Bridges turns 35 today.
- Actor Hayley Erin (TV: “General Hospital”) celebrates her 30th birthday today.
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