1992 in the United States explained
Events from the year 1992 in the United States.
Incumbents
Federal government
Events
January
The Washington Redskins defeat the Buffalo Bills 37–24 at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
February
- February 1 - The United States Coast Guard begins deporting the first of some 14,000 refugees from Haiti.
- February 10
- February 17 - A court in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, sentences serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer to life in prison.[2]
- February 18 – In New Hampshire, U.S. President George H. W. Bush defeats Pat Buchanan in the Republican primary; Paul Tsongas leads the Democratic candidates.
March
- March 10 - On 'Super Tuesday', U.S. President George H. W. Bush and Arkansas Governor Bill Clinton win most of the primaries held.
- March 18 - On CNN's Larry King Live, Texas billionaire H. Ross Perot announces that he will run for U.S. president as an independent if volunteers put him on the ballot in all 50 states.
- March 22 – USAir Flight 405, a domestic flight from New York City to Cleveland, Ohio, crashes into the Flushing Bay moments after taking off from LaGuardia Airport, killing 27 of the 51 people on board.[3] The causes of the accident were revealed to be ice on the aircraft and pilot error.[4]
- March 30 - The 64th Academy Awards, hosted by Billy Crystal, are held at Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles, with Jonathan Demme's The Silence of the Lambs winning five awards, including Best Picture and Best Director. Barry Levinson's Bugsy leads the nominations with ten. The telecast garners over 44 million viewers.
- March 31 -, the last active U.S. Navy battleship, is decommissioned at Long Beach, California.
April
- April 2 - In New York, Mafia boss John Gotti is convicted of the murder of mob boss Paul Castellano and racketeering, and is later sentenced to life in prison.
- April 5 - Approximately 500,000 people march on Washington, D.C. in support of abortion rights in advance of oral arguments in the case Planned Parenthood v. Casey.
- April 6
- April 8 - Former tennis player Arthur Ashe, 48, announces that he is suffering from the AIDS virus, which he is believed to have contracted from a blood transfusion during heart surgery in 1983. He had been diagnosed with HIV more than three years prior.[5]
- April 9 - A Miami, Florida jury convicts former Panamanian ruler Manuel Noriega of assisting Colombia's cocaine cartel.
- April 13 - The Chicago Flood occurs, causing approximately $2 billion in damages to the city (equivalent to $4.12 billion in 2022).
- April 25 – The 7.2 Cape Mendocino earthquake shakes the north coast of California with a maximum Mercalli intensity of IX (Violent), causing $48.3–75 million in losses and 98–356 injuries. This was the first instrumentally recorded event that showed shallow angle thrust movement on the southern Cascadia Subduction Zone. Two triggered strike-slip events caused additional destruction the following day.
- April 29 - May 4 - In Simi Valley, California, a jury acquits four LAPD police officers accused of excessive force in the videotaped beating of black motorist Rodney King, causing the 1992 Los Angeles riots and leading to 53 deaths and $1 billion in damage.
May
June
- June - As a result of the early 1990s recession and subsequent sluggish job creation, unemployment peaks at 7.8%, a level not seen since March 1984. This would contribute to President George H. W. Bush's defeat to Bill Clinton in the election later that year.[6]
- June 1 - Kentucky celebrates its bicentennial statehood.
- June 15 – Delta Phi Beta, a South Asian fraternity is founded at the University of California, Berkeley.[7]
- June 16 - A federal grand jury indicts Caspar Weinberger for his role in covering up the Iran–Contra affair.
- June 17 - A 'Joint Understanding' agreement on arms reduction is signed by U.S. President George H. W. Bush and Russian President Boris Yeltsin (this is later codified in START II).
- June 23 - Mafia boss John Gotti is sentenced to life in prison, after being found guilty of conspiracy to commit murder and racketeering on April 2.
- June 24
- The Franco-American Flag is officially raised for the first time in Manchester, New Hampshire. The flag was presented by singer Édith Butler as part of a tour.
- The Supreme Court rules 5–4 in Planned Parenthood v. Casey, the first landmark abortion case since Roe v. Wade. In Casey the Court decided to uphold the "essential holding" of Roe that a woman has the right to an abortion but introduced a new "undue burden" standard which allows states to impose certain regulation so long as those regulations did not create a "substantial obstacle in the path of a woman seeking an abortion before the fetus attains viability."
- June 28
- The 7.3 Landers earthquake shakes the Mojave Desert region of Southern California with a maximum Mercalli intensity of IX (Violent), causing $92 million in losses, three deaths and 400+ injuries.
- The 6.5 Big Bear earthquake shakes the San Bernardino Mountains region of Southern California about three hours later. This triggered event had a maximum Mercalli intensity of VIII (Severe), causing moderate damage and some injuries.
July
August
- August 11 - The largest shopping mall in the U.S., Minnesota's Mall of America, constructed on 78 acres (316,000 m2), opens in Bloomington.
- August 20 - The Republican National Convention in Houston, Texas re-nominates U.S. President George H. W. Bush and Vice President Dan Quayle. Pat Buchanan, one of Bush's opponents in the primaries, delivers a controversial convention speech, in which he refers to a "religious war" in the country.
- August 21–22 - Events at Ruby Ridge, Idaho are sparked by a federal U.S. Marshal surveillance team, resulting in the death of a Marshal, Sam Weaver, and his dog, and the next day the wounding of Randy Weaver, the death of his wife Vicki, and the wounding of Kevin Harris.
- August 24–28 - Hurricane Andrew hits south Florida and dissipates over the Tennessee valley, killing 65 and causing US$26.5 billion in damage.
September
October
- October 1 - The Turner Broadcasting System's Cartoon Network goes on the air. The Merrie Melodies short, Rhapsody Rabbit, is the very first cartoon to be broadcast on the network.
- October 2 - Pittsburgh International Airport's new facility opens in Findlay Township, near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The new terminal is built as an expansion for USAir and an upgrade from the older Pittsburgh International Airport facility.
- October 3 - After performing a song protesting alleged child abuse by the Catholic Church, Sinéad O'Connor rips up a photo of Pope John Paul II on Saturday Night Live, causing huge controversy, leading the switchboards at NBC to ring off the hook.
- October 8 - The video game Mortal Kombat is released.[8]
- October 9
- October 11 - Ross Perot, Bill Clinton, and George H. W. Bush participate in the first debate of the 1992 election at Washington University in St. Louis.
- October 13 - Al Gore, James Stockdale, and Dan Quayle participate in the 1992 vice presidential debate.
- October 14 - The A Bunch of Munsch episode "The Paper Bag Princess" is first broadcast on Showtime for the Showtime's Fall 1992 lineup opposite of the series debut of American Heroes & Legends, as part of the network's hour long block of kiddie-oriented programming.
- October 15 - Carole Simpson hosts the second debate of the presidential election at the University of Richmond.
- October 17 - Yoshihiro Hattori, a 16-year-old Japanese exchange student, mistakes the address of a party and is shot dead after knocking on the wrong door in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The shooter, Rodney Peairs, is later acquitted, sparking outrage in Japan.
- October 19 – Jim Lehrer hosts the final debate of the presidential election at Michigan State University.
- October 26 – Dry Tortugas National Park is established.
- October 29 - The Food and Drug Administration approves Depo-Provera for use as a contraceptive in the United States.
- October 31 - The pilot episode for X-Men airs on Fox Kids.
November
- November 3
- November 20 - is released to theaters.
- November 24 - Sonic The Hedgehog 2 is released in the U.S.
- November 25
- The Bodyguard, starring Kevin Costner and Whitney Houston, debuts in cinemas; it goes on to become the second highest-grossing film of the year with nearly $122 million in revenue in the U.S. and exceeding $410 million worldwide.
- Walt Disney Pictures' 31st feature film, Aladdin, is released to critical and commercial success. It goes on to become the highest-grossing film of the year and (at the time) the highest-grossing animated film of all time, earning over $504 million worldwide - the first animated film to cross the half-billion-dollar mark. It is also the last entirely fairytale-based adaptation released by Disney until 2010's Tangled.
December
Date unknown
- In terms of units sold, compact discs outsell audiocassettes for the first time in the United States.[10]
Ongoing
Births
January
February
- February 1 - Kelli Goss, actress
- February 2 - Alex Kennedy, race car driver
- February 4 - Hannah Stocking, internet personality
- February 6 - Cara McCollum, journalist (d. 2016)
- February 8 - Karle Warren, actress
- February 10
- February 11 - Taylor Lautner, actor
- February 13 - Keith Appling, college basketball player
- February 14 - Jeff Luc, football player
- February 15 - Greer Grammer, actress
- February 16 - Steffani Brass, actress
- February 17
- February 18
- February 20 - Jarred Tinordi, hockey player
- February 24 - Peter Frenette, Olympic ski jumper
- February 25 - Max Aaron, figure skater
- February 26 - Alexandria Mills, beauty pageant winner
- February 27
- February 29
March
- March 2 - Charlie Coyle, ice hockey player
- March 3 - Madison Cross, singer and actress
- March 4
- March 5
- March 8 - Vitaly Zdorovetskiy, Russian-born YouTuber and prankster
- March 9 - Luis Armand Garcia, actor
- March 10 - Emily Osment, actress and singer
- March 13 - Jelani Jenkins, football player
- March 14 - Jasmine Murray, singer and pageant winner
- March 15
- March 16 - Tim Hardaway Jr., basketball player
- March 18 - Anthony Barr, football player
- March 20 - Madison Gesiotto Gilbert, attorney, beauty queen, and political candidate
- March 21 - Joshua Mance, Olympic sprinter
- March 22 - Jessie Andrews, actress
- March 23 - Kyrie Irving, basketball player
- March 24
- March 25 - Elizabeth Lail, actress
- March 26
- March 27
- March 29 - Chris Massoglia, actor
- March 30 - MacKinzie Kline, golfer
April
- April 3 - Young M.A., rapper
- April 4 - Alexa Nikolas, actress
- April 6 - Beatrice Capra, tennis player
- April 7
- April 8
- April 9 - Joshua Ledet, singer
- April 11 - J.D. Lifshitz, director, producer, screenwriter, and actor
- April 13 - Paul Richardson, football player
- April 17 - Manuel Ávila, boxer
- April 18 - Chloe Bennet, actress and singer
- April 22 - Joc Pederson, baseball player
- April 23 - Syd tha Kyd, singer, producer, and DJ
- April 24
- April 26
- April 27
- April 28 - Boxxy, internet personality
- April 30 - Kenneth Agostino, ice hockey player
May
- May 2 - Molly Kearney, comedian
- May 4
- Miles Robbins, actor and musician
- Phyllis Francis, Olympic sprinter
- Gracie Gillam, actress, singer, and dancer
- Courtney Jines, actress, producer, and screenwriter
- Victor Oladipo, basketball player
- Grace Phipps, actress, singer, and dancer
- Ashley Rickards, actress
- Shoni Schimmel, Native American basketball player
- May 5 - Jarvis Johnson, YouTuber
- May 7 - Ryan Harrison, tennis player
- May 8
- May 9 - Chris Gutierrez, actor
- May 11 - Christina McHale, tennis player
- May 12 - Malcolm David Kelley, actor
- May 13 - Tyrann Mathieu, football player
- May 15
- May 16
- May 17
- May 18 - Spencer Breslin, actor and musician
- May 20 - Mattie Larson, gymnast
- May 21
- May 22 - Anna Baryshnikov, actress
- May 24 - Travis T. Flory, actor
- May 25 - Matt Stonie, competitive eater
- May 26 - Johanna Long, race car driver
- May 29
- May 30
- May 31 - MO3, rapper (d. 2020)
June
- June 1 - Prezel Hardy, sprinter
- June 6 - DeAndre Hopkins, football player
- June 7
- June 9 - Kate Hansen, luger
- June 10 - Kate Upton, actress and model
- June 12
- June 13 - Jason Dardo, drag queen, burlesque dancer, recording artist, television personality, and model
- June 14
- June 15 - Kristie Ahn, tennis player
- June 16 - Emerson Etem, hockey player
- June 19 - C. J. Mosley, football player
- June 20
- June 21 - Max Schneider, singer/songwriter and actor
- June 22 - Darius Jennings, football player
- June 23
- June 24 - Raven Goodwin, actress
- June 26
- June 27 - Jordan Hicks, football player
- June 29
- June 30
July
- July 1 - Bryan de la Fuente, soccer player
- July 2 - Madison Chock, Olympic ice dancer
- July 3
- July 5 - Max Frost, singer/songwriter
- July 6 - Manny Machado, baseball player
- July 8
- July 9 - Andrew Everett, wrestler
- July 10 - Kristin Allen, gymnast
- July 13
- July 17
- July 18 - Timothy Dolensky, figure skater
- July 20 - Paige Hurd, actress
- July 21 - Rachael Flatt, figure skater
- July 22 - Selena Gomez, singer and actress
- July 24 - Mitch Grassi, a cappella singer and member of Pentatonix
- July 25
- July 28
- July 29 - David Ash, football player
- July 30 - Fabiano Caruana, chess player
- July 31
August
September
- September 2 - Madilyn Bailey, singer
- September 3 - August Alsina, hip-hop/R&B Artist
- September 5 - Brandon Allen, football player
- September 8 - Felisha Cooper, actress
- September 10 - Haley Ishimatsu, Olympic diver
- September 11
- September 12 - Connor Franta, YouTuber and entrepreneur
- September 16 - Nick Jonas, singer, songwriter, musician, actor, and member of the Jonas Brothers
- September 18 - Amber Liu, singer
- September 19
- September 24
- September 25 - Keauna McLaughlin, ice skater
- September 27
- September 28
- September 30
October
- October 2 - Kiehl Frazier, football player
- October 6
- October 9 - Tyler James Williams, actor
- October 11 – Cardi B, rapper
- October 12 - Josh Hutcherson, actor
- October 13
- October 14 - Savannah Outen, singer
- October 15 - Vincent Martella, actor and singer
- October 16 - Bryce Harper, baseball player
- October 17 - Jacob Artist, actor, dancer, and singer
- October 18 - John John Florence, surfer
- October 19 - Lil Durk, rapper
- October 20 - Kristian Ipsen, Olympic diver
- October 22
- October 27
- October 28
- October 30 - Tequan Richmond, actor, model, and rapper
- October 31 - Vanessa Marano, actress
November
- November 2 - Chelsea Davis, gymnast
- November 5 - Odell Beckham Jr., football player
- November 6 - Megan Meier, suicide victim (d. 2006)
- November 9 - CoryxKenshin, YouTuber
- November 10 - Teddy Bridgewater, football player
- November 11 - Cassandra Bankson, model
- November 12
- November 15 - Trevor Story, baseball player
- November 16 - Joe Thuney, football player
- November 18 - Nathan Kress, actor
- November 19 - Brandon Frazier, Olympic pair skater
- November 21
- November 23
- November 25 - Zack Shada, actor
- November 28
- November 29 - David Lambert, actor
December
Full date unknown
Deaths
- January 1 – Grace Hopper, computer scientist, mathematician, and U.S, Army Navy rear admiral (b, 1906)
- January 7 – Richard Hunt, puppeteer (b. 1951)
- January 23 - Ian Wolfe, actor (b. 1896)[12]
- January 24 – Tina Chow, fashion designer and model (b. 1950)
- January 26 – José Ferrer, Puerto Rican actor and director (b. 1912)
- January 27 - Allan Jones, actor and singer (b. 1907)
- January 29 - Willie Dixon, blues musician (b. 1915)
- February 2 – Bert Parks, actor, singer, and announcer (b. 1914)
- February 3 - Junior Cook, musician (b. 1934)[13]
- February 4 – John Dehner, actor (b. 1915)
- February 7 - Buzz Sawyer, wrestler and trainer (b. 1959)
- February 8 - Bazoline Estelle Usher, African American educator (b. 1885)
- February 9 - Jack Kinney, animator (b. 1909)
- February 10 – Alex Haley, writer (b. 1921)
- February 13 - Dorothy Tree, actress (b. 1906)[14]
- February 14 – Angelique Pettyjohn, actress (b. 1943)
- February 20 – Dick York, actor (b. 1928)
- February 27 - S. I. Hayakawa, Canadian-born academic and Senator for California (b. 1906)
- February 28 – Josef Alexander, composer (b. 1907)
- March 2 – Sandy Dennis, actress (b. 1937)
- March 4 - Art Babbitt, animator (b. 1907)
- March 8 - Champ Butler, singer (b. 1926)[15]
- March 25 – Nancy Walker, actress and director (b. 1922)
- March 26 - Barbara Frum, American-born Canadian radio and television journalist (b. 1937)
- March 29 – Paul Henreid, Austrian-American actor and filmmaker (b. 1908)
- April 4 - Arthur Russell, cellist and composer (b. 1951)
- April 5
- April 6 - Isaac Asimov, Russian-born science-fiction author (b. 1920)
- April 10 - Sam Kinison, comedian (b. 1953)
- April 14
- April 16 – Neville Brand, actor (b. 1920)
- May 1 - Sharon Redd, singer (b. 1945)[17]
- May 6 - Marlene Dietrich, German-born actress and singer (b. 1901 in Germany)
- May 12
- May 13 - Dawon Kahng, Korean-born electrical engineer (b. 1931)
- May 14 – Lyle Alzado, American professional football player (b. 1949)
- May 17 – Lawrence Welk, musician and bandleader (b. 1903)
- May 27 - Uncle Charlie Osborne, Appalachian fiddler (b. 1890)
- May 30 - Antoni Zygmund, Polish-born mathematician (b. 1900)
- June 2 - Philip Dunne, screenwriter and director (b. 1908)
- June 3
- June 6 - Larry Riley, actor (b. 1953)
- June 18 – Peter Allen, Australian musician (b. 1944)
- June 26 – Buddy Rogers, professional wrestler (b. 1921)
- June 27 – Allan Jones, actor and singer (b. 1907)
- July 13 - Alex Wojciechowicz, American football player (b. 1915)
- July 26 – Mary Wells, American singer (b. 1943)
- July 27 - Anthony Salerno, mobster (b. 1911)
- July 30 – Joe Shuster, Canadian-American comic book artist (b. 1914)
- August - Chris McCandless, hiker (b. 1968)
- August 5 – Jeff Porcaro, drummer, songwriter, and record producer (b. 1954)
- August 14 – John Sirica, federal judge (b. 1904)
- September 1 - Morris Carnovsky, actor (b. 1897)
- September 21 - Bill Williams, actor (b. 1915)
- September 29 - Paul Jabara, actor and singer-songwriter (b. 1948)
- October 5 – Eddie Kendricks, singer (The Temptations) (b. 1939)
- October 16 – Shirley Booth, actress (b. 1898)
- October 22
- October 25 - Roger Miller, singer-songwriter, musician and actor (b. 1936)
- November 2 - Hal Roach, film and television producer, director and actor (b. 1892)
- November 7 – Jack Kelly, actor (b. 1927)
- November 8
- November 10 – Chuck Connors, actor and athlete (b. 1921)
- November 19 – Diane Varsi, actress (b. 1938)
- November 22 – Sterling Holloway, actor (b. 1905)
- November 23 – Roy Acuff, country musician (b. 1903)
- November 24 – Theodore Miller Edison, businessman, inventor, and environmentalist (b. 1898)
- November 29
- November 30 – Peter Blume, American painter and sculptor (b. 1906)
- December 8 - William Shawn, editor of The New Yorker (b. 1907)
- December 9 – Vincent Gardenia, Italian-American actor (b. 1920)
- December 17 - Dana Andrews, actor (b. 1909)
- December 18 - Mark Goodson, television producer (b. 1915)
- December 21 - Stella Adler, actress and teacher (b. 1901)[20]
- December 27 – Stephen Albert, composer (b. 1941)[21]
- December 28 - Sal Maglie, baseball player (b. 1917)
- December 30 - Timothy S. Healy, Jesuit priest and academic administrator (b. 1923)
See also
Notes and References
- Web site: Thinking the Unthinkable: What Led 4 Teens to Torture, Murder Child?. BOB. LEWIS. 31 January 1993. LA Times.
- Web site: February 17, 2016. Cydney. Adams. Feb. 17th, 1992: Serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer sentenced. 2021-03-09. www.cbsnews.com. en.
- Web site: March 22, 2022 . Remembering USAir Flight 405: 30 Years later, a survivor reflects . 2023-12-04 . wkyc.com . en-US.
- News: Airline Industry, FAA Blamed for 'Failures' That Led to Jet Crash . en-US . Washington Post . 2023-12-04 . 0190-8286.
- Web site: The News-Journal - Google News Archive Search. google.com.
- News: Greenhouse. Steven. Unemployment Up Sharply, Prompting Federal Reserve to Cut Its Key Lending Rate. 16 January 2013. New York Times. 3 July 1992.
- https://web.archive.org/web/20041204204641/http://www.dphib.com/ Delta Phi Beta
- Web site: Mortal Kombat.
- Web site: Schmalz . Jeffrey . THE 1992 ELECTION - THE NATION'S VOTERS - Clinton Carves a Wide Path Deep Into Reagan Country - NYTimes.com . New York Times . 1992-11-04 . 2015-11-04.
- Web site: Hitting High Notes On The Cash Register 1992 Was A Record Year For Discs And Cassettes. Philly.com.
- Book: Zenko . Micah . Between Threats and War: U.S. Discrete Military Operations in the Post-Cold War World . 3 August 2010 . Stanford University Press . 978-0-8047-7190-0 . 29 . en.
- News: Ian Wolfe, 95; Character Actor of Stage, Movies, TV . . January 26, 1992. July 20, 2012 . Oliver . Myrna.
- Book: The Guinness Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Colin Larkin. Guinness Publishing. 1992. First. 0-85112-939-0. 553.
- Book: Wilson . Scott . Resting Places: The Burial Sites of More Than 14,000 Famous Persons, 3d ed. . 2016 . McFarland . 9780786479924 . 756 . September 8, 2019 . en.
- Down Yonder With. Dales. Ossie. June 2012. booklet. Jasmine Records. JASCD 724. London, England. Champ Butler.
- Book: Walton, Sam . Sam Walton: Made in America . Bantam Books . 0-553-56283-5 . 329 . 1993.
- Web site: Ramakers . Johan . Sharon Redd . Rock and Roll Paradise . 8 September 2016 . 18 August 2022.
- Haun, Harry (2000). The Cinematic Century: An Intimate Diary of America's Affair with the Movies. New York: Applause. .
- https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/ruth-nelson-54389 "Ruth Nelson"
- Web site: Stella Adler American actress Britannica . www.britannica.com . 10 February 2023 . en.
- Book: Randel. Don Michael. The Harvard biographical dictionary of music. 1996. Belknap Press of Harvard Univ. Press. Cambridge, Mass.. 0-674-37299-9. 11. Albert, Stephen (Joel). https://archive.org/details/harvardbiographi00rand/page/11.
