What Happened in 1996

Important Events

  • 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?

Four women ordained priests in Jamaica, 1st in 330-year Anglican history

On December 23, 1996

Famous People Born in 1996

More Famous Birthdays

World Leaders in 1996

Famous People in 1996

Would You Believe?

1st clamshell flip mobile phone, the Motorola StarTAC, goes on sale. Eventually 60 million are sold.

On January 3, 1996

Famous Weddings

  • 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

More Weddings & Divorces

Famous Deaths

More Famous Deaths