This Day in History is DUE’s daily dose of trivia for all the history buffs out there. So sit back and take a ride of all the fascinating things that happened today!
People are trapped in history and history is trapped in people, and hence, every day has been a significant one in the foibles of history. Now, let’s take a tour of “This Day in History – 25th June”.
1678: The first woman in the world receives a doctorate degree
Venetian Elena Cornaro Piscopia became the first woman in the world to be awarded a doctorate of philosophy from the University of Padua. Though she received her Doctorate in Philosophy she was denied a Doctorate degree in Theology.
1903: Birth of George Orwell
Eric Arthur Blair, also known as George Orwell was born on this day at Motihari, Bengal. Famous for his works on the dangers of totalitarianism like 1984 and The Animal Farm. Orwell was an essayist, critic, and journalist whose work has gained contemporary relevance. He coined words like ‘Big Brother’, ‘doublethink’, and others that have become a common part of our language.
1947: The Diary of a Young Girl is published
Anne Frank’s personal diary about her hideout along with her family in the Secret Annex was published in the form of a book on this day. Originally titled ‘Het Achterhuis’ was published two years after Anne Frank’s death. Her entire family except her father died in the holocaust after they were captured from their two-year-long hideout.
1961: Ricky Gervais is born
Comedian, actor, producer, and writer Ricky Gervais was born on this day. He is mostly known for the UK version of The Office (2001-2003). He was also the executive producer of the US version of the show that ran for 9 seasons.
1975: National Emergency declared in India
It was on this day just before midnight when the then President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed declared the national emergency on the advice of Indira Gandhi, the then Prime Minister. This dark period in Indian democracy lasted for about 21 months with arrests of various leaders, censorship, and violation of human rights. Just the day before, the Supreme Court said in a verdict that Indira Gandhi could remain an MP but could not take part in the proceedings of the Lok Sabha in the case of electoral malpractices.
2009: Death of Michael Jackson
American singer, songwriter, and dancer Michael Jackson left the world on this day owing to a heart attack. He was the most popular entertainer around the 1980s. His image suffered a downfall after he was booked under a child molestation case. His larger-than-life legacy is celebrated by his fans throughout the world.
