July 5
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1946: The atomic origins of the bikini
On this day in 1946, a French designer unveiled a bombastic (or bombtastic?) new swimsuit and named it the bikini, after Bikini atoll in the Marshall Islands, the site of recent U.S. nuclear testing. While the bathing suit was considered scandalous at the timeâit was just 30 square inches of fabricâit has since become an exploration of oneâs agency, expression, and relationship with oneâs body. As fashion icon Diana Vreeland said, âThe bikini is the most important thing since the atom bomb.â
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Featured Event
NARA
Twenty-sixth Amendment certified
Certified this day in 1971, the Twenty-sixth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution lowered the age of eligibility to vote to 18. [Find out what the voting age is in every country in the world.]
Featured Biography
Featured Biography
Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.
P.T. Barnum, born this day in 1810, was an American showman who built his fame on outrageous stunts, the exploitation of âhuman curiosities,â and brazen deceit. He also, with James A. Bailey, made the American circus a popular and gigantic spectacle.
Famous Birthdays
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© Henry NichollsâAFP/Getty Images
2024
Keir Starmer, leader of the Labour Party, became prime minister of the United Kingdom, ending 14 years of Conservative rule; he replaced Rishi Sunak. [Whatâs the difference between a prime minister and a president?]
© Bernard BissonâSygma/Getty Images
2017
French rock icon Johnny Hallyday made his last appearance onstage, at a concert in Carcassonne.
Nick LahamâGetty Images Sport/Thinkstock
2009
Swiss tennis player Roger Federer won a record-setting 15th Grand Slam singles title as he defeated Andy Roddick at the Wimbledon Championships. [Take our quiz about Wimbledon.]
© John ChadwickâAP/REX/Shutterstock.com
© Castle Rock Entertainment; all rights reserved
1989
The first episode of the sitcom Seinfeld (then called The Seinfeld Chronicles) aired on NBC. It went on to became a landmark of American popular culture. [How much do you know about Seinfeld?]
© Focus on Sport/Getty Images
1975
Arthur Ashe defeated Jimmy Connors in four sets of tennis at the 89th Wimbledon Championships. [Test your knowledge of tennis.]
EncyclopĂŠdia Britannica, Inc.
1962
Algeria officially gained its independence from France, which had declared the African country independent two days earlier. [Read more stories of independence in Africa.]
Photos.com/Jupiterimages
Picture Lux/The Hollywood Archive/Alamy
1954
American singer Elvis Presley recorded Thatâs All Right, which became his first hit and helped give rise to rock and roll music. [How much do you know about rock and roll music?]
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1946
The first bikini, designed by French engineer Louis RĂ©ard, made its debut in Paris; the swimsuit was named for the Bikini atoll, which, just days earlier, had been the site of the worldâs first peacetime atomic-weapons test. [Can you name these historical fashion trends?]
Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.
1865
The U.S. Secret Service began operation under the Treasury Department to aid in the prevention of counterfeiting. [What code names did the Secret Service give 11 U.S. presidents?]
MCS 2nd Class Mark Logico/U.S. Navy
1859
Captain N.C. Brooks discovered the Midway Islands in the central Pacific Ocean and claimed the territory for the United States. [Take our islands quiz.]