Important Events in 1996
- Jul 3 UK House of Commons announces that the Stone of Scone, aka the Stone of Destiny, used in the coronation of Scottish (and subsequently English and British monarchs), will be returned to Scotland after 700 years in Westminster Abbey
- Aug 23 Osama bin Laden issues message entitled "A declaration of war against the Americans occupying the land of the two holy places"
- Aug 26 US President Bill Clinton signs welfare reform into law, representing major shift in welfare policy
More Historical Events
1996 in Film & TV
- Feb 23 "Trainspotting" directed by Danny Boyle based on the book by Irvine Welsh, starring Ewan McGregor, Robert Carlyle and Jonny Lee Miller opens in cinemas in the UK and Ireland
- Mar 8 "Fargo" directed and written by Joel and Ethan Coen, starring Frances McDormand, William H. Macy and Steve Buscemi released in the US
- Jul 21 "The Daily Show" hosted by Craig Kilborn premieres on Comedy Central in the US
1996 in Music
- Jan 29 6,138th performance of "Cats" is held in London, surpassing record of Broadway's longest-running musical, "A Chorus Line"
- Feb 13 Rapper Tupac Shakur releases his 4th studio album 'All Eyez on Me'
- Jul 8 British girls group the Spice Girls release their debut single "Wannabe" in the UK
- Aug 6 Punk rock band the Ramones perform for the last time at the Palace in Hollywood
Did You Know?
Did You Know?Four women ordained priests in Jamaica, 1st in 330-year Anglican history
On December 23, 1996
Dolly the Sheep
Dove Cameron
Hailee Steinfeld
Joshua Wong
Stefanie Scott
Tom HollandFamous People in 1996
Alanis Morissette
Grammy for Album of the Year- David Ho
Time Person
of the Year - Frances McDormand
Oscar for Best Actress - Geoffrey Rush
Oscar for Best Actor - Tiger Woods
Sportsperson
of the Year
Alanis Morissette
David Ho
Frances McDormand
Geoffrey Rush
Tiger WoodsWorld Leaders in 1996
- Bill Clinton
42nd US President - Boris Yeltsin
Russian President - Helmut Kohl
German Chancellor - Jiang Zemin
Paramount Leader of China - John Major
British Prime Minister
Bill Clinton
Boris Yeltsin
Helmut Kohl
Jiang Zemin
John MajorWould You Believe?
1st clamshell flip mobile phone, the Motorola StarTAC, goes on sale. Eventually 60 million are sold.
On January 3, 1996
Famous Weddings in 1996
- Jan 27 "ER" TV actress Yvette Freeman (39) weds musical director Lawny Hartley (49) in Dunleith, Delaware
- Feb 14 Secretary of Defense and former US Senator William Cohen of Maine (56) weds Black Entertainment Television host Janet Langhart (54) at United States Capitol in Washington, D.C.
- Feb 14 Singer Prince Rogers Nelson (37) weds belly dancer Mayte Garcia (22) in Minneapolis
Famous Divorces in 1996
- Jan 18 Lisa Marie Presley files for divorce from Michael Jackson in NY
- Feb 22 Actress Halle Berry files for divorce from David Justice
- Mar 19 Winnie Madikizela-Mandela divorces Nelson Mandela after 38 years of marriage
More Weddings & Divorces
Ella Fitzgerald
Gene Kelly
Jean-Bédel Bokassa
Mary Leakey
Spiro Agnew
Tupac Shakur