1959 – Specific values for the international yard, avoirdupois pound and derived units (e.g. inch, mile and ounce) are adopted after agreement between the US, the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth countries.

1960 – The Trust Territory of Somaliland (the former Italian Somaliland) gains its independence from Italy. Concurrently, it unites as scheduled with the five-day-old State of Somaliland (the former British Somaliland) to form the Somali Republic.

1960 – Ghana becomes a republic and Kwame Nkrumah becomes its first President as Queen Elizabeth II ceases to be its head of state.

1963 – ZIP codes are introduced for United States mail.

1963 – The British Government admits that former diplomat Kim Philby had worked as a Soviet agent.

1968 – The Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons is signed in Washington, D.C., London and Moscow by sixty-two countries.

1968 – Formal separation of the United Auto Workers from the AFL–CIO in the United States.

1972 – The first Gay pride march in England takes place.

1976 – Portugal grants autonomy to Madeira.

1978 – The Northern Territory in Australia is granted self-government.

1979 – Sony introduces the Walkman.

1980 – "O Canada" officially becomes the national anthem of Canada.

1984 – The PG-13 rating is introduced by the MPAA.

1987 – The American radio station WFAN in New York City is launched as the world's first all-sports radio station.

1990 – German reunification: East Germany accepts the Deutsche Mark as its currency, thus uniting the economies of East and West Germany.

1991 – Cold War: The Warsaw Pact is officially dissolved at a meeting in Prague.

1997 – China resumes sovereignty over the city-state of Hong Kong, ending 156 years of British colonial rule. The handover ceremony is attended by British Prime Minister Tony Blair, Charles, Prince of Wales, Chinese President Jiang Zemin, and U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright.

1999 – The Scottish Parliament is officially opened by Elizabeth II on the day that legislative powers are officially transferred from the old Scottish Office in London to the new devolved Scottish Executive in Edinburgh. In Wales, the powers of the Welsh Secretary are transferred to the National Assembly.

2002 – The International Criminal Court is established to prosecute individuals for genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and the crime of aggression.

2003 – Over 500,000 people protest against efforts to pass anti-sedition legislation in Hong Kong.

2004 – Saturn orbit insertion of Cassini–Huygens begins at 01:12 UTC and ends at 02:48 UTC.

2007 – Smoking in England is banned in all public indoor spaces.

2008 – Riots erupt in Mongolia in response to allegations of fraud surrounding the 2008 legislative elections.

2020 – The United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement replaces NAFTA.

...and if today is your birthday, Happy Birthday To You! You share this special day with....

1804 – George Sand, French author and playwright (d. 1876)

1869 – William Strunk Jr., American author and educator (d. 1946)

1899 – Thomas A. Dorsey, American pianist and composer (d. 1993)

1906 – Estée Lauder, American businesswoman, co-founded the Estée Lauder Companies (d. 2004)

1912 – David Brower, American environmentalist, founded Sierra Club Foundation (d. 2000)

1912 – Sally Kirkland, American journalist (d. 1989)

1915 – Willie Dixon, American blues singer-songwriter, bass player, guitarist and producer (d. 1992)

1922 – Toshi Seeger, German-American activist, co-founded the Clearwater Festival (d. 2013)

1934 – Jamie Farr, American actor

1934 – Sydney Pollack, American actor, director and producer (d. 2008)

1935 – James Cotton, American singer-songwriter and harmonica player (d. 2017)

1938 – Hariprasad Chaurasia, Indian flute player and composer

1939 – Karen Black, American actress (d. 2013)

1941 – Twyla Tharp, American dancer and choreographer

1942 – Andraé Crouch, American singer-songwriter, producer and pastor (d. 2015)

1945 – Debbie Harry, American singer-songwriter and actress

1950 – David Duke, American white supremacist, politician and former Ku Klux Klan Grand Wizard

1951 – Anne Feeney, American singer-songwriter and activist

1952 – Dan Aykroyd, Canadian actor, producer and screenwriter

1952 – David Arkenstone, American composer and performer

1954 – Keith Whitley, American singer and guitarist (d. 1989)

1961 – Carl Lewis, American long jumper and runner

1961 – Diana, Princess of Wales (d. 1997)

1967 – Pamela Anderson, Canadian-American model and actress

1969 – Séamus Egan, American-Irish singer-songwriter and guitarist

1975 – Sufjan Stevens, American singer-songwriter and guitarist

Almanac - Thursday 7/1/21

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