What Happened in 1994?

So, it’s 1994, Bryan Adams and Bon Jovi are rocking the radio, and the grunge and flannel look is in. Of course, while music and fashion are always important, it’s also worth remembering some of the biggest events of the year to shake the global political and economic stage.

But don’t worry – 1994 certainly wasn’t a boring year! In case you have forgotten or simply weren’t there at the time, here are some of the biggest events from 1994.

In this year

1January

Famed Russian cosmonaut Valeri Polyakov began his 437.7-day orbit of the Earth starting January 8th, 1994. Eventually, he set the world record for the number of days he spent in orbit! It’s thought he traveled a total of 186.8 million miles, more than 7,000 times around the planet, before coming home in 1995.

2February

Following the Chadian–Libyan conflict, the International Court of Justice officially ruled that the Aouzou Strip belonged to the Republic of Chad, not Libya – a momentous decision that unfolded as of February 3rd, 1994.

3March

The biggest tornado outbreak of 1994 took place in the southeastern United States, in late March. One of the massive tornadoes killed 22 people at the Goshen United Methodist Church in Piedmont, Alabama. It’s gone down in history as the Palm Sunday tornado outbreak.

4April

A truly momentous moment in South African history unfolded on April 27th, 1994 – as the first-ever general elections held that allowed multiracial voters took place. This effectively ended apartheid in the country – and, fittingly, Nelson Mandela was elected President of South Africa, sworn in the month after.

5May

Three-time Formula One world champion Ayrton Senna tragically died in an accident during a Grand Prix in Imola, Italy. To this day, he remains one of the most successful Formula One drivers of all time, with a career cut down in its prime. Senna’s death led to increased interest in making motor racing safer for all.

6June

Ronald Goldman and Nicole Brown Simpson were murdered in Los Angeles as of June 12th, 1994. Their deaths hit the headlines as actor and former football star OJ Simpson was accused and later acquitted of killing the pair. He was, however, held civilly liable, and many believe his acquittal was a miscarriage of justice.

7July

Jeff Bezos founded Amazon. Today, the company is one of the most successful multinational companies in the world and is worth an approximated $1.58 trillion! Considering Amazon started as a humble online bookstore, that’s some serious growth.

8August

An end to The Troubles in Ireland appeared to be in sight at the end of August 1994, as the Provisional IRA revealed they would cease military operations to help forge peace in Northern Ireland. However, there would be the Docklands bombing of 1996, and a ceasefire in 1997. The Good Friday Agreement was then signed in 1998, though the Real IRA bombed the town of Omagh the same year. By 2005, the IRA had decommissioned its weapons.

9September

From September to October 1994, Iraq threatened to stop cooperating with UNSCOM inspectors. They then began to once again deploy troops to the border with Kuwait. In response, the US also deployed troops to Kuwait. It was the latest twist in the Gulf conflict, which would rise again by the early 00s.

10October

Quentin Tarantino made US cinema history on October 14th, 1994, as the release of his film “Pulp Fiction” would eventually lead to the highest gross for an independent movie of all time. The movie arguably helped to boost John Travolta’s star appeal on the big screen once again, and is still regarded by many as one of the finest films of the past 40 years.

11November

Former US President Ronald Reagan released a letter announcing that he had Alzheimer’s disease. He eventually passed away on June 5th, 2004.

12December

The Australian government finally agreed to pay financial reparations due to indigenous citizens who were displaced during the Maralinga nuclear testing controversy. This displacement took place in the 1950s and 1960s.

1994 was the year of the…dog!

Like 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 2006, and 2018, 1994 was a year to celebrate people born as “Dogs,” at least according to the Chinese zodiac! People born in dog years are usually loyal, protective, reliable, encouraging, and kind. The next Dog year won’t be until 2030.

Celebrity Births in 1994

• Joseph Quinn, British actor, born January 26th, 1994
• Justin Bieber, Canadian singer, born March 1st, 1994
• Dakota Fanning, American actor, born February 23rd, 1994
• Margaret Qualley, American actor, born October 23rd, 1994
• Zoey Deutch, American actor, born November 10th, 1994

Famous People We Lost in 1994

• John Candy, Canadian actor, died aged 43
• Burt Lancaster, American actor, died aged 80
• George Peppard, American actor, died aged 65
• Dinah Shore, American actor, died aged 77
• Cesar Romero, American actor, died aged 86