January 16
January 16
Bush waits for deadline in Iraq
On this day in 1991, President George Herbert Walker Bush waits to see if Iraq will withdraw from Kuwait by midnight, a deadline mandated by the United Nations, or if…
A Year In History: 1991
Also Within This Year in History:
1991
In 1991, the Soviet Union dissolved into 15 separate states, the Persian Gulf war both began and ended and a coup in Haiti overthrew that country’s first democratically elected president. In the U.S., Los Angeles police beat motorist Rodney King on videotape, and Michael Jordan’s Chicago Bulls won their first NBA championship. Nirvana released its landmark single “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” helping bring indie music mainstream, while movies like “Slacker” and “My Own Private Idaho” heralded the ascendance of independent film.
January 16
January 16
The Persian Gulf War begins
At midnight in Iraq, the United Nations deadline for the Iraqi withdrawal from Kuwait expires, and the Pentagon prepares to commence offensive operations to forcibly eject Iraq from its five‑month…
January 23
January 23
Videotaped murder leads to convictions in Texas
Darrell Lunsford, a county constable in Garrison, Texas, is killed after pulling over a traffic violator. His murder was remarkable because it was captured on a camera set up in…
January 27
January 27
Somali dictator flees
Muhammad Siyad Barre, the dictator of the Somali Democratic Republic since 1969, flees Mogadishu as rebels overrun his palace and capture the Somali capital. In 1969, Somalian President Abd‑i‑rashid Ali…
February 2
February 2
Hurley Haywood in quest to win fifth 24 Hours of Daytona
The 24 Hours of Daytona endurance auto race begins on February 2, 1991; when it ends the following day, driver Hurley Haywood will collect his fifth win, the most victories…
February 13
February 13
Long‑lost Twain manuscript authenticated
On this day, Sotheby’s announced the discovery of a long‑lost manuscript of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain. The manuscript was the first half of Twain’s original version, heavily corrected in…
February 24
February 24
Gulf War ground offensive begins
After six weeks of intensive bombing against Iraq and its armed forces, U.S.‑led coalition forces launch a ground invasion of Kuwait and Iraq. On August 2, 1990, Iraq invaded Kuwait,…
March 3
March 3
LAPD officers beat Rodney King on camera
At 12:45 a.m. on March 3, 1991, robbery parolee Rodney G. King stops his car after leading police on a nearly 8‑mile pursuit through the streets of Los Angeles, California.…
March 13
March 13
“Paris is Burning” premieres in New York
After more than five years of fundraising, shooting and editing, the documentary Paris is Burning debuts in New York City on March 13, 1991. The groundbreaking look at the culture…
March 14
March 14
Birmingham Six released from prison
In the face of widespread questioning of their guilt, British authorities release the so‑called “Birmingham Six,” six Irish men who had been sent to prison 16 years earlier for the…
March 31
March 31
Warsaw Pact’s military union ends
After 36 years in existence, the Warsaw Pact—the military alliance between the Soviet Union and its eastern European satellites—comes to an end. The action was yet another sign that the…
April 29
April 29
Cyclone kills 135,000 in Bangladesh
On this day in 1991, a devastating cyclone hits Bangladesh, killing more than 135,000 people. Even though there had been ample warning of the coming storm and shelter provisions had…
May 1
May 1
Rickey Henderson breaks MLB stolen base record
On May 1, 1991, Oakland Athletics outfielder Rickey Henderson steals his 939th base to break Lou Brock’s record for stolen bases in a career. Henderson stole a total of 1,406…
May 6
May 6
Harry Gant is oldest NASCAR winner—again
On May 6, 1991, 51‑year‑old race car driver Harry Gant racks up his 12th National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) Winston Cup career victory in the Winston 500…
May 14
May 14
Two trains crash in Japan, killing more than 40
On May 14, 1991, two diesel trains carrying commuters crash head‑on, killing 42 people and injuring over 400 more near Shigaraki, Japan. This was the worst rail disaster in Japan…
May 24
May 24
“Thelma and Louise,” featuring 1966 Ford Thunderbird, released
On this day in 1991, the critically acclaimed road movie “Thelma and Louise” debuts in theaters, stunning audiences with a climactic scene in which its two heroines drive off a…
May 26
May 26
Plane crashes in Thai jungle
On May 26, 1991, a Boeing 767 crashes into the jungle near Bangkok, Thailand, and kills all 223 people on board. The plane was owned and operated by the Austrian company Lauda‑Air…
May 28
May 28
Ethiopian capital falls to rebels, ending 17 years of Marxist rule
Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia, falls to forces of the Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF), formally ending 17 years of Marxist rule in the East African country. In…
June 10
June 10
Evacuations save lives ahead of volcanic eruptions in the Philippines
On this day in 1991 at Clark Air Base in the Philippines, 14,500 personnel are evacuated in anticipation of the eruption of Mount Pinatubo. Over the next several days, the…
July 19
July 19
Mike Tyson rapes a Miss Black America contestant
Notorious boxer Mike Tyson rapes Desiree Washington, a contestant in the Miss Black America pageant, in an Indianapolis, Indiana, hotel room. At a time when the issue of date rape…
