Highlights
Grace Hopper
Grace Hopper, American computer scientist and admiral, co-developed COBOL (born 1906)
Read more →The world was watching. Here's what dominated the headlines:
David Dinkins
David Dinkins is sworn in as New York City's first black mayor.
Julia Glushko
Julia Glushko, Israeli tennis player
Nathaniel Peteru
Nathaniel Peteru, New Zealand rugby league player
Dissolution of Czechoslovakia
Dissolution of Czechoslovakia: Czechoslovakia is divided into the Czech Republic and Slovak Republic.
The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) comes into effect.
Arthur Porritt, Baron Porritt, New Zealand physician and politician, 11th Governor-General of New Zealand (born 1900)
The Draupner wave in the North Sea in Norway is detected, confirming the existence of freak waves.
Eugene Wigner, Hungarian-American physicist and mathematician, Nobel Prize laureate (born 1902)
Argentinian physicist Juan Maldacena publishes a landmark paper initiating the study of AdS/CFT correspondence, which links string theory and quantum gravity.
The Euro currency is introduced in 11 member nations of the European Union (with the exception of the United Kingdom, Denmark, Greece and Sweden).
The decade's soundtrack was electric. These artists were making waves:
Noah Kahan
Noah Kahan, American singer-songwriter
Townes Van Zandt
Townes Van Zandt, American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer (born 1944)
On the field and off it, athletes were making history:
Ali Maâloul
Ali Maâloul, Tunisian football player
Glen Rice Jr.
Glen Rice Jr., American basketball player
Darius Slay
Darius Slay, American football player
Xavier Suʻa-Filo
Xavier Su'a-Filo, American football player
The Zapatista Army of National Liberation initiates twelve days of armed conflict in the Mexican state of Chiapas.
Following a currency reform, Russia begins to circulate new rubles to stem inflation and promote confidence.
Must-see TV was a real thing — and this is what filled the airwaves:
Conan and the Young Warriors
"The Third Talisman" (Season 1, Episode 1) aired on 1994-01-01.
Soul Train
"DRS/ Queen Latifah/ Soul of Mischief" (Season 23, Episode 11) aired on 1994-01-01.
This Old House
"The Acton House - 1" (Season 16, Episode 1) aired on 1994-01-01.
Cops
"New York City Subway Special Edition" (Season 6, Episode 23) aired on 1994-01-01.
"1994 NFL Playoffs Wild Card round (2)" (Season 1994, Episode 19) aired on 1995-01-01.
"Metallo" (Season 2, Episode 10) aired on 1995-01-01.
"Jaqueline Kennedy Onassis: In a Class of Her Own" (Season 1995, Episode 1) aired on 1995-01-01.
"January 1 1997-Wednesday" (Season 1997, Episode 38) aired on 1997-01-01.
"Tools of Deception" (Season 4, Episode 3) aired on 1998-01-01.
The digital revolution was just getting started:
Grace Hopper
Grace Hopper, American computer scientist and admiral, co-developed COBOL (born 1906)
Wikipedia →Total Request Live had teenagers calling in around the clock. Here's what was charting:
The #1 most requested video on TRL on this date in 1999
#2 on TRL — Britney Spears, "...Baby One More Time"
#3 on TRL — TLC, "No Scrubs"
#4 on TRL — *NSYNC, "I Drive Myself Crazy"
#5 on TRL — Eminem, "My Name Is"
#6 on TRL — 98 Degrees, "The Hardest Thing"
#7 on TRL — Lauryn Hill, "Ex-Factor"
#8 on TRL — Brandy & Monica, "The Boy Is Mine"
#9 on TRL — Sugar Ray, "Every Morning"
#10 on TRL — Kid Rock, "Bawitdaba"
By Year
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