-
Million Man March in Washington D.C.
political demonstration in Washington, D.C., on Oct. 16, 1995, to promote African American unity and family values. Estimates of the number of marchers, most of whom were African American men, ranged from 400,000 to nearly 1.1 million, ranking it among the largest gatherings of its kind in American history. -
First Woman Appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court
Justice Sandra Day O’Connor was born on this date, March 26th in 1930. She went on to become the first woman to be appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court. -
Reagan Announces Defense Plan Called Star Wars
The Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI), also known as Star Wars, was a program first initiated on March 23, 1983, under President Ronald Reagan. The intent of this program was to develop a sophisticated anti-ballistic missile system in order to prevent missile attacks from other countries, specifically the Soviet Union. -
U.S. Embassy in Beirut Bombed
The suicide bombing of the U.S. embassy in Beirut, Lebanon on April 18, 1983, was the deadliest attack on a U.S. diplomatic mission up to that point. The blast killed 63 people, 17 of whom were Americans. The attack is thought of as the beginning of anti-U.S. attacks from Islamist groups. -
U.S.S.R. Launches Mir Space Station
The Soviets have opened a new phase in space exploration with the launch of the world's biggest space station, Mir. The successful launch of Mir comes just over three weeks after the American space shuttle Challenger disaster, in which seven astronauts died. -
United States bombing of Libya
The 1986 United States bombing of Libya, code-named Operation El Dorado Canyon, comprised airstrikes by the United States against Libya on Tuesday, 15 April 1986 -
U.S. Shoots Down Iranian Airliner: Iran Air Flight 655
Iran Air Flight 655 was an Iran Air civilian passenger flight from Tehran to Dubai. On 3 July 1988, the aircraft operating this route was shot down by the United States Navy guided-missile cruiser USS Vincennes. The incident took place in Iranian airspace, over Iran's territorial waters in the Persian Gulf, and on the flight's usual flight path. -
United States Invades Nicaragua
The moderate UNO Coalition candidate, Violeta Chamorro is elected president of Nicaragua. Chamorro improves diplomatic relations with the U.S. At this time, the FSLN party still holds the majority of popular support in Nicaragua. -
27th Amendment is Ratified.
The 27th Amendment to the Constitution is passed two hundred and two years after its initial proposal. It bars the United States Congress from giving itself a midterm or retroactive pay raise. This amendment had been originally proposed by James Madison in 1789, as part of twelve amendments, of which ten would become the original Bill of Rights on December 15, 1791. -
9/11 Terrorist Attacks
Islamic fundamentalist terrorists hijack four U.S. airliners and crash them into the Pentagon and the World Trade Center in New York City. The attack of two planes levels the World Trade Center and the crash of one plane inflicts serious damage to the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, causing more than 3,000 deaths. The plot is attributed to the Al-Qaeda organization led by Osama Bin Laden. -
U.S. and Britain launches air attacks in Afghanistan
In response to the tragedy of September 11, the United States military, with participation from its ally the United Kingdom, commences the first attack in the War on Terrorism on the Taliban and Al-Qaeda in Afghanistan. Later on May 2, 2011, the mastermind behind the September 11 attacks, Al Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden is killed by US Special Forces during an early morning (approximately mid-afternoon on May 1 in the United States) raid in Abbottabad, Pakistan.