The first Corvette was produced in 1953, Hong Kong was handed back to China in 1997, the US Supreme Court ruled against homosexual acts in 1986, Spain legalized same-sex marriage in 2005, Tonya Harding was banned for life from figure skating in 1994, The Guiding Light made its TV debut in 1952, a French acrobat crossed Niagara Falls on a tightrope in 1859, President James Garfield’s assassin was hanged in 1882, and Einstein published his theory of relativity in 1905. Hitler began killing his political opponents in 1934.
The first Corvette rolled off the production line. (1953) Car came in white only with a black soft top and red interior. Optional features included a curtain in place of roll-up windows and interior door handles. 300 cars were produced the first year and sold for US$3,498.
Britain handed Hong Kong back to China after 156 years. (1997) The British took control of Hong Kong as a colony after the First Opium War in 1842. Japan briefly occupied Hong Kong during the Pacific War from 1941 to 1945, then the British regained control.
The US Supreme Court has ruled that states can ban homosexual acts. (1986) In a 5-4 decision in Bowers v. Hardwick, the Court held that homosexual acts were not protected by the right to privacy.
Spain has legalized same-sex marriage. (2005) The law went into effect, however, on July 3, 2005. Spain is one of four countries that have legalized gay marriage; the other three are Canada, the Netherlands and Belgium.
Tonya Harding has been banned for life from figure skating for hiring a man to break her rival’s leg. (1994) Shane Stant was hired by Harding and her husband to break Nancy Kerrigan’s leg. One day he waited for her after skating practice and broke her leg with a police baton. Although Harding later admitted to helping her cover up the attack, she was allowed to participate in the Olympics because her involvement was not proven at the time.
The longest running show in the history of radio and television, The Guiding Light, made its TV debut. (1952) The soap opera began as a radio show, airing from January 25, 1937 to June 29, 1956. On this day, the show aired on TV for the first time. In the early years, episodes were 15 minutes long; in 1968, they increased to 30 minutes, and then to an hour in 1977. The show was canceled in 2009.
A French acrobat crossed Niagara Falls on a tightrope. (1859) Charles Blondin actually walked the 1,100-foot (335-meter) long rope that was 160 feet (50 meters) above the water.
President James Garfield’s assassin was hanged. (1882) Charles J. Guiteau, a lawyer, killed President Garfield on July 2, 1881. He insisted that he was working on God’s orders. He was hanged in Washington DC
Einstein published the paper that introduced what would become his theory of relativity. (1905) The Annus Mirabilis papers, as they became known, were published in a scientific journal called Annalen der Physik. The theories expressed in the four papers have significantly influenced and altered modern physics.
Hitler began killing his political opponents in what would come to be known as “Night of the Long Knives”. (1934) More than 85 people were killed – although some estimates are actually hundreds – during the three-day “purge”. This act of violence helped further solidify Hitler’s political standing and his rise to power.
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