TODAY IN HISTORY
On July 13, 1985, Live Aid, an international rock concert in London, Philadelphia, Moscow and Sydney, took place to raise money for Africa’s starving people.
Also on this date
In 1863,
deadly rioting against the Civil War military draft erupted in New York City. (The insurrection was put down three days later.)
In 1923,
a sign consisting of 50foot-tall letters spelling out “HOLLYWOODLAND” was dedicated in the Hollywood Hills to promote a subdivision (the last four letters were removed in 1949).
In 1965,
President Lyndon B. Johnson nominated Thurgood Marshall to be U.S. Solicitor General; Marshall became the first Black jurist appointed to the post. (Two years later, Johnson nominated Marshall to the U.S. Supreme Court.)
In 1973,
former presidential aide Alexander P. Butterfield revealed to Senate Watergate Committee staff members the existence of President Richard Nixon’s secret White House taping system. (Butterfield’s public revelation came three days later.)
In 2013,
a jury in Sanford, Florida, cleared neighborhood watch volunteer George Zimmerman of all charges in the shooting of Trayvon Martin, the Black teenager whose killing unleashed furious debate over racial profiling, self-defense and equal justice.
In 2016,
Theresa May entered No. 10 Downing Street as Britain’s new prime minister.
In 2020,
Washington’s NFL franchise dropped the “Redskins” name and Indian head logo amid pressure from sponsors; the move followed decades of criticism that the name and logo were offensive to Native Americans. (As new names were considered, the team would be known as the Washington Football Team; the team eventually was renamed the Commanders.)
Ten years ago:
Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney insisted he had “no role whatsoever in the management” of Bain Capital, a private equity firm, after early 1999.
Five years ago:
A federal judge in Hawaii weakened President Donald Trump’s travel ban by vastly expanding the list of U.S. family relationships that visitors from six Muslim-majority countries could use to get into the country.
One year ago:
The government reported that prices paid by U.S. consumers in June had posted the sharpest 12-month spike in 13 years, as a swift rebound in spending ran up against widespread supply shortages.