January 11
January 11
Miep Gies, who hid Anne Frank, dies at 100
On January 11, 2010, Miep Gies, the last survivor of a small group of people who helped hide a Jewish girl, Anne Frank, and her family from the Nazis during…
A Year In History: 2010
This Year in History:
2010
Discover what happened in this year with HISTORY’s summaries of major events, anniversaries, famous births and notable deaths.
January 12
January 12
Massive earthquake strikes Haiti
On January 12, 2010, Haiti is devastated by a massive earthquake. It drew an outpouring of support from around the globe but the small nation has yet to fully recover.…
February 18
February 18
WikiLeaks publishes the first documents leaked by Chelsea Manning
On February 18, 2010, a relatively obscure website called WikiLeaks publishes a leaked diplomatic cable detailing discussions between American diplomats and Icelandic government officials. The leak of “Reikjavik13” barely registered…
February 19
February 19
Tiger Woods apologizes for extramarital affairs
On February 19, 2010, professional golfer Tiger Woods gives a televised news conference in which he apologizes for his marital infidelities and admits to “selfish” and “foolish” behavior. The 34‑year‑old…
March 7
March 7
Kathryn Bigelow becomes the first female director to win an Oscar
On March 7, 2010, Kathryn Bigelow becomes the first woman to win an Academy Award for best director, for her movie The Hurt Locker, about an American bomb squad that…
April 20
April 20
Massive oil spill begins in Gulf of Mexico
April 20, 2010: An explosion and fire aboard the Deepwater Horizon oil drilling rig in the Gulf of Mexico, approximately 50 miles off the Louisiana coast, kills 11 people and…
May 8
May 8
Betty White becomes oldest “Saturday Night Live” host
On May 8, 2010, 88‑year‑old actress Betty White, known for her former roles on “The Golden Girls” and “The Mary Tyler Moore Show,” becomes the oldest person to host the…
May 28
May 28
Terrorists attack Ahmadiyya mosques in Pakistan
As Friday prayers came to a close on May 28, 2010 in Lahore, Pakistan, seven terrorists wielding guns, grenades and suicide vests stormed into two crowded Ahmadi Muslim mosques and…
June 3
June 3
Joran van der Sloot arrested for murder in South America
On June 3, 2010, Joran van der Sloot, a longtime suspect in the unsolved 2005 disappearance of American teen Natalee Holloway in Aruba, is arrested in Chile in connection with…
August 9
August 9
JetBlue flight attendant quits job via escape slide
On August 9, 2010, JetBlue flight attendant Steven Slater quits his job in dramatic style by sliding down his plane’s emergency‑escape chute while the aircraft is stopped near the terminal…
October 13
October 13
Chilean miners are rescued after 69 days underground
On October 13, 2010, the last of 33 miners trapped nearly half a mile underground for more than two months at a caved‑in mine in northern Chile, are rescued. The…
December 17
December 17
Street vendor Mohamed Bouazizi self‑immolates in Tunisia, igniting the Arab Spring
On December 17, 2010 26‑year‑old street vendor Mohamed Bouazizi self‑immolates in Sidi Bouzid, Tunisia. His dramatic action is considered the start of the Arab Spring, a period of pro‑democracy uprisings that reverberated…
