This Day In History, June 12th.
Five Historical Events That Happened on June 12th.
General Emilio Aguinaldo declared Philippine independence from Spain in 1898, establishing June 12th the country's Independence Day.
Medgar Evers, a civil rights leader, was slain outside his house in Jackson, Mississippi, in 1963.
Bryan Allen became the first person to fly a human-powered aircraft across the English Channel in 1979, cycling the Gossamer Albatross for slightly over two hours.
In 1987, US President Ronald Reagan delivered his famous "tear down this wall" address at Berlin's Brandenburg Gate, asking for the fall of the Berlin Wall, which separated East and West Germany.
Boris Yeltsin was elected as the first freely elected president of the Russian Federation in 1991, signaling a substantial departure from the Soviet period.
In 1898, Philippine independence was declared from Spain by General Emilio Aguinaldo, making June 12th the country's Independence Day.
General Emilio Aguinaldo declared the Philippines' independence from Spanish colonial power in Kawit, Cavite, on June 12, 1898. This marked the end of more than 300 years of Spanish colonization in the Philippines, as well as the start of the country's quest for full freedom and self-determination. The Philippines celebrates Independence Day, a national holiday, on June 12th each year.
In 1963, civil rights activist Medgar Evers was assassinated outside his home in Jackson, Mississippi.
Medgar Evers was a civil rights activist who campaigned in Mississippi to remove segregation and achieve voting rights for African Americans. On June 12, 1963, he was slain outside his house in Jackson, Mississippi, by a white supremacist. Because he had been a dedicated campaigner for justice and equality, his death was a tremendous loss to the civil rights movement and aroused widespread indignation. It took more than 30 years for his killer, Byron De La Beckwith, to be convicted of the crime.
In 1979, Bryan Allen became the first person to fly a human-powered aircraft across the English Channel, pedaling the Gossamer Albatross across the 22-mile stretch in just over two hours.
Bryan Allen became the first person to fly the Gossamer Albatross, a human-powered aircraft created by Paul MacCready, across the English Channel on June 12, 1979. Allen pedaled the aircraft's bicycle-like system to provide the power needed to keep it flying for slightly over two hours. The accomplishment was a key milestone in the development of human-powered flight, demonstrating the possibilities of new aviation technology and engineering techniques.
In 1987, US President Ronald Reagan gave his famous "tear down this wall" speech at the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, calling for the dismantling of the Berlin Wall that divided East and West Germany.
On June 12, 1987, US President Ronald Reagan delivered a speech at Berlin's Brandenburg Gate calling for the down of the Berlin Wall, which had divided East and West Germany since 1961. "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!" Reagan famously said in the address, alluding to Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev and his role in the ongoing Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union. The speech was viewed as a significant symbol of the West's dedication to freedom and democracy, and it aided in galvanizing efforts to reunite Germany and bring the Cold War to an end.
In 1991, Boris Yeltsin was elected as the first democratically elected president of the Russian Federation, marking a significant shift away from the Soviet era.
Boris Yeltsin was chosen as the Russian Federation's first democratically elected president on June 12, 1991. Yeltsin's election represented a dramatic departure from the Soviet period, since he was a vociferous opponent of the Soviet regime and played a vital role in the Soviet Union's breakup later that year. During Yeltsin's administration, a number of key political and economic changes were implemented, including the introduction of a market economy and the development of democratic institutions. His presidency was also marred by severe problems, including as political upheaval and economic turbulence, but his reputation as a pivotal role in the transition from Soviet communism to a more democratic and market-oriented regime is widely acknowledged.