Bastille Day takes place each year on July 14 in France. The day celebrates the start of the French Revolution, commemorating the storming of the Bastille prison in 1789. However, in 2016, the celebration ended in tragedy. What was a normal Bastille Day soon turned into a deadly occasion when a man drove a truck through the crowd of over 30,000 gathered to watch a fireworks show. The truck driver, 31-year-old Mohamed Lahouaiej-Bouhlel, killed 86 people in the crowd, including 15 children, and injured over 450 others in his act of terrorism. In The Gazette, published in Cedar Rapids on July 16th, 2016, they described the scene as the truck zigzagged through the Promenade de Anglais, the crowd watching in horror as it careened into families who were listening to the orchestra or strolling along the beach. The aftermath of the tragedy paints a horrific picture, including smashed strollers and a pavement covered in dried blood. Years later, a total of 8 individuals were found guilty for their involvement in the attack. Despite this tragedy, the French continue to celebrate Bastille Day each year to commemorate their revolution.
For most people, the name Versace brings to mind the luxury fashion brand. Many don’t immediately think of the faces behind the brand, but that doesn’t protect them from the risks of fame. Gianni Versace, an Italian fashion designer, was the founder of the luxury fashion brand Versace. His claim to fame was the brand’s unique style, blending contemporary designs with provocative themes, pushing the boundaries of the industry. His brand became internationally renowned and earned him significant wealth. However, with his fame came the dangers of being a public figure, including threats to his safety. In the Quincy Herald Whig, published July 16th, 1997, they detail the events of his tragic death the day before, including more information on the timeline and suspect. On July 15th, 1997, Gianni left his mansion in Miami Beach, Florida, walking to the local newsstand where he purchased a few magazines, and began to return home. At his front gate, he was confronted by serial killer Andrew Cunanan, who proceeded to shoot him twice in the back of the head at close range. Cunanan was one of the FBI’s most wanted, Versace the 5th in his string of murders, and he fled the scene of the crime immediately. In the Quincy Herald Whig, they asked that anyone who had information on the perpetrator contact authorities, saying “everybody’s at risk, everybody’s got to help us put this guy in jail”. Eight days after Versace’s murder, Cunanan was found dead from suicide nearby. Despite his untimely death, Versace was taken over by his siblings, who continued the brand’s legacy.
(1945 – 1980s) One Priceless Moment: Man Lands on the Moon, 1969
Anyone alive during 1969 can tell you where they were and how they felt when the first man stepped onto the surface of the moon. On July 20th, 1969, the human race achieved something spectacular. After years of developing space technologies, NASA successfully landed two humans on the moon for the first time in history. Buzz Aldrin, Neil Armstrong, and Michael Collins were on the Apollo 11 mission to land on the moon. It took four days for them to reach the moon, and from there, Collins departed to the command module Columbia to orbit the moon while the other astronauts went on the surface. Neil Armstrong took the first steps as almost every American watched a television broadcast of the landing. This was when he uttered the famous words “That’s one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind” as he became the first man on the moon. Buzz Aldrin joined him soon after, and the two bounced around the moon’s surface for a bit while recording it for Americans to see. They then collected samples of rock and dust to bring back to Earth, which amounted to a total of 47 pounds. President Richard Nixon spoke with the men after their moonwalk, speaking of their bravery and the importance of this historical moment. The Watertown Public Opinion quoted him as having told the astronauts, “For one priceless moment in the whole history of man, all the people on this earth are truly one”. This sentiment was echoed by many others interviewed in the article. On July 24th, they returned to Earth having made history and created a fever for space travel within the American population.
On July 17th, 1945, the Allied forces of WWII met together on the first day of the Potsdam conference, where they would discuss how they would handle the end of the war. US President Harry Truman, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, and Soviet Premier Joseph Stalin met in Potsdam, a suburb of Berlin. In the Watertown Public Opinion, published on July 18th, 1945, they described the meeting of the Big Three under cloudy skies as Truman spoke separately with both Churchill and Stalin. Going into the conference, they listed Truman’s goals of ensuring a speedy victory over Japan and establishing long-lasting peace in Europe. By the time the conference ended, the allies had discussed various topics and reached a decision on what to do at the end of the conflict. This includes the decision to divide Germany into occupation zones, demilitarization and denazification of the country as a whole, the redrawing of Poland’s borders, and more. This conference not only established the actions the allies would take after the war, but also, in hindsight, reflected the beginning of rising tensions between the Soviet Union and Western powers. During their discussions, each country was in favor of what would benefit their nation, and this brought disagreement between the Soviet Union and the United States. Many historians now regard this conference as a precursor to the Cold War and as fueling tensions between the former allies.
(1824 – 1914) Lincoln’s Legacy: Mary Todd Lincoln Passes, 1882
Mary Todd Lincoln was the wife of the 16th President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln, and the former First Lady of the United States. They were wed before the beginning of his political career, and were faced with conflicting interests when he became president at the beginning of the Civil War. Mary had come from a family of southerners, and many of her brothers fought in the Confederacy. Despite this, she stood by her husband’s side as the leader of the Union and turned her focus to her role as the First Lady. She was often criticized for her excessive spending, as she chose to redecorate the White House and refresh her wardrobe to reflect modern European trends. In 1862, Mary lost her son to typhoid fever, leaving her grief-stricken among her family tensions. In 1865, she witnessed the assassination of her husband, the first US President to be assassinated, and her mental health began to worsen. Now free from the position of First Lady, she began to navigate her life as a widowed mother. In 1868, she lived in Europe and Germany for some time, and in 1871, she returned to Chicago. It was this same year when she lost another child, her youngest son, and spiraled further into her grief struggle. In 1875, her oldest and only remaining son had her placed in a private sanatorium, fearing for her sanity, from which she was released a year later. She then returned to Europe for a few more years before moving back to Illinois in 1880, where she remained until her death on July 16th, 1882. In the Southwest Minnesotian, published on July 27th, 1882, they wrote of her passing and a tribute to her memory. They remembered her as a “woman of extreme good nature… a loving wife and mother,” full of ambition before the weight of her husband’s assassination took over her good reasoning. They also recalled her strange obsession with collecting window curtains, even possessing over 60 pairs of curtains while living in a hotel. They were saddened to hear of her passing, but were not surprised as her health had continued to decline over the years. Most of all, she was remembered for her personality and kindness as a friend, mother, and first lady of the United States.
Join me again next week to discover more of history’s hidden gems and timeless tales.
Explore the “Read All About It” archives to read stories that spotlight our partners and their communities, announcements from our team, updates on current projects, and so much more. Discover articles about engagement, outreach, primary sources, community, digitization, education, and other topics of interest. Delve into the happenings in this week in history and take a deep dive into the events and people who helped shape our communities, our nation, and the world.
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