What happened on this day in history: Anne Frank is born, Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman are murdered, and more.
1817: Karl Von Drais Takes The World’s First Bicycle Ride
Karl von Drais takes a ride on his invented “Laufmaschine” (running machine) or “dandy horse,” thought to be the world’s first bicycle. Little is known about von Drais or how he came up with his invention. But it was certainly a hit — today, there are over 1 billion bicycles in the world.
1898: The Philippines Declares Independence
Filipino rebels led by Emilio Aguinaldo declare their independence from Spain during the Spanish-American war. Though they threw off 300 years of Spanish rule, their victory was short-lived. The United States annexed the Philippines after the conflict ended and controlled the islands until 1946.
1929: Anne Frank Is Born
Public DomainAnne Frank in 1940, two years before she began writing her famous diary.
Annelies Marie Frank, better known as Anne Frank, is born in Frankfurt, Germany. On her 13th birthday, Frank received a journal, which she used to record her experiences during World War II and the Holocaust. Sadly, she and her family were later deported to concentration camps, where Frank died in 1945 at the age of just 15.
1994: Nicole Brown Simpson And Ron Goldman Are Murdered
The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty ImagesA policeman stands guard in front of Nicole Brown Simpson’s house, where she and her friend Ron Goldman were killed.
Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ron Goldman are stabbed to death outside Brown Simpson’s home in Brentwood, California. Suspicion quickly fell on Brown Simpson’s ex-husband, football legend O.J. Simpson. Though he was acquitted in 1995, a 1997 civil trial found Simpson liable for the deaths.
2016: Gunman Omar Mateen Attacks The Pulse Nightclub
Omar Mateen kills 49 people at Pulse in Orlando, Florida. Pulse, a gay nightclub, was hosting Latin Night when Mateen arrived at around 2 a.m. and suddenly opened fire. The American-born Mateen then called 911 and pledged allegiance to ISIS before police shot him in a gun battle at approximately 5 a.m.
