Governor
Appointed Governor of Louisiana
Permanent historical records · Updated 2026-11-03
1996 in United States of America
Explore 96 historical events and records for United States of America in 1996.
Historical records for United States of America in 1996
Sorted by month and day. Records with no month are shown last. Showing 40 of 96 unique records.
96Unique records
1 of 3Page
30Named events on this page
27Named people on this page
10Places on this page
January
Betelgeuse Surface Image
Dupree helps produce Hubble's first direct image resolving the surface of a star other than the Sun, revealing Betelgeuse's ultraviolet hot spot.
Hubble Deep Field
Williams directs the Hubble Deep Field program, combining hundreds of exposures into an unprecedented deep view containing thousands of galaxies.
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Is inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, recognising his influence on rock, pop and visual performance.
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Is inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the Velvet Underground.
February
Legislation
Signs the Communications Decency Act, attempts to regulate both indecency (when available to children) and obscenity in cyberspace
Death of Gene Kelly
Death of Gene Kelly
Legislation
Signs the Telecom Reform Act, Congress forces local telephone companies to share their lines with competitors at regulated rates
AFI Life Achievement Award
Receives the American Film Institute Life Achievement Award.
March
Pluto
The Hubble surface map confirms a dark equatorial belt and bright polar regions on Pluto.
Pluto
Hubble observations indicate Pluto's surface patterns are strongly influenced by migrating nitrogen and methane frosts.
Pluto
Hubble results produce the first image-based surface map of Pluto, revealing about a dozen major bright and dark regions.
Summit of Peacemakers
Attends a summit supporting the peace process after attacks threaten negotiations.
April
Death of William Egan Colby
Death of William Egan Colby
June
First Galileo Ganymede Flyby
Galileo makes the first of its close Ganymede encounters during its Jupiter orbital mission.
August
Legislation
Signs the Minimum wage Increase Act
Legislation
Clinton signs the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act of 1996, which includes time limits for welfare, work requirements, and assistance for people transitioning to work
Reform of Government
Clinton signs the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act of 1996, which includes time limits for welfare, work requirements, and assistance for people transitioning to work
September
Second Galileo Ganymede Flyby
Galileo makes another close Ganymede encounter, passing much nearer the surface than during its first targeted flyby.
Death of Spiro Agnew
Death of Spiro Agnew
United States Signs CTBT
Signs the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty on the day it opens for signature.
October
Health of Lance Armstrong
Has an orchiectomy to remove the diseased testicle, asked in an interview what Armstrongs chances are, Dr. Reeves, the surgeon, says "Almost none. We told Lance initially 20 to 50% chance, mainly to give him hope. But with the kind of cancer he had, with the x-rays, the blood tests, almost no hope."
November
First Galileo Callisto Flyby
Galileo makes its first close pass of Callisto, mapping the moon's ancient cratered surface.
Health of Michael DeBakey
Yelstin undergoes successful quintuple heart bypass surgery, performed by American heart surgeon Dr. Michael DeBakey
December
Secretary of State for Commerce
Appointed Secretary of State for Commerce
Ganymede Magnetic Field Discovery
Galileo data establish Ganymede as the first moon known to possess its own magnetic field.
Health of Lance Armstrong
Armstrongs last chemotherapy treatment
Accords of Dayton
Initiated in Dayton, Ohio on November 21, 1995 the full formal agreement is signed in Paris
First Galileo Europa Flyby
Galileo makes its first targeted close flyby of Europa and images its fractured icy terrain.
Death of Carl Edward Sagan
Death of Carl Edward Sagan
Government
Appointed Secretary of Labour
Government
Appointed Secretary of Energy
Government
Appointed Secretary of Transport
Other events (month unknown)
A Game of Thrones
Publication of "A Game of Thrones"
Academy Award
Winner of the best male actor for "Leaving Las Vegas"
Accords of Dayton
The peace agreement reached at the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio. Ends the 3 1/2 yrs of war in the former Socialist Federative Republic of Yugoslavia
Airframe
Publication of "Airframe"
Assignment Oswald Published
Hosty published Assignment: Oswald, presenting his account of the FBI investigation of Oswald and controversies surrounding his role in Dallas.
Belgian Classic Fleche Wallone
Becomes the first American to win the Belgian classic Fleche Wallone
Birdcage
Directs The Birdcage
How these records were prepared
Generated from the World History Database historical_events table. Identical display records are collapsed; descriptions otherwise retain the stored text. Coverage and source quality vary. Check primary and specialist sources before citing individual historical claims.