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KIU Trivia: August 6 in the Present and the Past

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What’s Happening Today?

Independence Day (Jamaica). Jamaica celebrate their independence from the United Kingdom in 1962. The Colony of Jamaica gained its independence from the United Kingdom on August 6 1962, following more than 300 years under British control. Black nationalism was particularly fostered in Jamaica in the first half of the 20th century, the most notable Black leader in the country being Marcus Garvey, a labour leader and an advocate of the Back-to-Africa movement, which called for every one of African descent to return to the homelands of their ancestors.

Independence Day (Bolivia). It is Bolivia's National Day and marks the signing of the Declaration of Independence on August 6th 1825. It followed the Bolivian War of Independence which would last for 16 years. Eventually, the Colonial forces were defeated and Bolivian independence was proclaimed on August 6 1825.

What Happened Today?

1. In 1926, Gertrude Ederle became the first woman to swim across the English Channel. An American Olympic swimmer, Ederle swam across the English channel- a body of water between England and France- in 14 hours and 34 minutes. Only 5 other people, all men, had swum across the channel before Ederle.

2. In 1945, the US bombed the Japanese city of Hiroshima. It is the first of the only two times nuclear weapons have been used in warfare. The United States dropped a nuclear bomb, nicknamed Little Boy (in the picture), during the Second World War and over 150,000 people were estimated to have been killed by the resulting explosion. 

3. In 2008, in Mauritania,  the 6th coup in the North African country since 1978, President Sidi Ould Cheikh Abdallahi was overthrown and General Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz, a career military officer, was installed in his place.

Birthdays

1. 1973 – David Bahati, Ugandan politician and Minister of State of Finance for Planning.

2. 1983 – Robin van Persie, Dutch footballer who formerly played for Arsenal and Manchester United in England.

Sources: Wikipedia, checkiday and bornglorious.com

Picture credit: wikipedia