August 4 – Launch of Phoenix and more

The significance of history is not confined to the mere events that occurred in the past but it also establishes a connection to the present day. The past plays an extremely vital role in shaping the present because the decisions of yesterday can change the destiny of today. History is a story that teaches us about the past mistakes and the wise actions that brought great accomplishments. They are the lessons we learn from others for ages to come. It is not just about who we were and where we came from but also what we want to become and where we want to go from this day onward.

1717 – A friendship treaty is signed between France and Russia.

Russian-French relations have a long history going back to the 11^th century. The first diplomatic representation of Russia in France appeared in the early 1700s by decree of Russian Tsar Peter I, interested in an alliance with Louis XIV due to the rapprochement between England and Sweden. In 1717, Russian Tsar Peter the Great visited the young French king Louis XV that served as the starting point for the establishment of permanent diplomatic relations between the two countries, interrupted by the Great French Revolution.

1789 – Abolition of feudalism in France

Regarded as one of the greatest goals in the French Revolution was to abolish feudalism, and the old rules, taxes, and privileges left over from the age of feudalism. On the night of 4 August 1789, The National Constituent Assembly announced the abashment of the feudal system entirely. It abolished both the seigniorial rights of the Second Estate (the nobility) and the tithes gathered by the First Estate (the Catholic clergy). This was a first great step towards establishing equal rights by eradicating the feudal system.

1875 – The first Convention of Colored Newspapermen is held in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Starting in 1830 and continuing until well after the Civil War, free, freed and self-emancipated Blacks came together in state and national political conventions. They strategized about achieving educational, labor, and legal justice during decades when Black rights were constricted. The Colored Conventions movement took place during critical decades which witnessed devastating anti-Black race riots and the growing popularity of the American Colonization Society. Speakers at conventions called for community-based action that gathered funds, established schools and literary societies, and urged the necessity of organizing in campaigns for civil and human rights. On this day the first convention minutes of colored newspaper that illustrate the immense struggles and the profound courage of those who made it a point to organize and stand for what was rightly theirs.

1971 – Apollo 15 orbited the moon and returned data from August 4

The mission began on July 26, 1971, and ended on August 7. Apollo – 15 was a small satellite released into lunar orbit from the SIM bay just before the mission left orbit to return to Earth. Its main objectives were to study the plasma, particle, and magnetic field environment of the Moon and map the lunar gravity field. The lunar surface exploration took place between July 30 and August 7 where it orbited the moon and finally returned data from August 4.

1984 – Prince’s “Purple Rain” album goes #1 & stays #1 for 24 weeks

Purple Rain is the sixth studio album by American recording artist Prince. Purple Rain became Prince’s first album to reach number one on the Billboard 200. The album spent 24 consecutive weeks atop on the Billboard 200 and was present on the chart for a total of 122 weeks. “When Doves Cry” and “Let’s Go Crazy” reached number one the Billboard Hot 100, while “Purple Rain” peaked at number two. After four weeks on the chart, it reached number one on August 4, 1984. By 1996, the album had sold 13 million copies in the United States, making it certified 13x Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). It established Prince as a figurehead in pop music of the 1980s. This is regarded as one of the greatest albums of all time. In 2010, Purple Rain was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.

2007 – NASA launches the Phoenix spacecraft on a mission to Mars.

The Phoenix mission was the first chosen for NASA’s Scout program, an initiative for smaller, lower-cost, competed for spacecraft. Mars Phoenix. The mission was launched from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida which successfully landed on the arctic plains of Mars on May 25, 2008. Phoenix was NASA’s sixth successful landing on Mars, from seven attempts, and the first in Mars’ polar region. The mission was aimed at finding the geological history of water on Mars and evaluate past or potential planetary habitability in the ice-soil boundary. The mission ended on November 2, 2008.

2015 – Robert Downey Jr. named the world’s highest-paid actor by Forbes Magazine

Best known for his role as Iron Man in the marvel fanatic series of avengers and Iron Man Robert Downey Junior made it big by crossing Jackie Chan by $30M and become the highest-paid actor by earning $80M. He is often seen as an inspiration by many for fighting his drug addiction and finally recovered to make his career success in Hollywood. He has also been critically acclaimed for his role as Charlie Chaplin and Sherlock Holmes.