{"id":358489,"date":"2026-07-02T11:48:20","date_gmt":"2026-07-02T11:48:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/358489\/"},"modified":"2026-07-02T11:48:20","modified_gmt":"2026-07-02T11:48:20","slug":"as-u-s-celebrates-birthday-here-are-10-historical-moments-that-occurred-in-texas","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/358489\/","title":{"rendered":"As U.S. celebrates birthday, here are 10 historical moments that occurred in Texas"},"content":{"rendered":"

The U.S. is celebrating the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Since that day, there are many national historical moments that occurred right here in Texas. <\/p>\n

Here’s some of them. <\/p>\n

The Grandmother of Juneteenth<\/p>\n

\"Civil<\/p>\n

Camilo Diaz <\/p>\n

\/<\/p>\n

Fort Worth Report<\/p>\n

Civil rights activist Opal Lee, 97, poses for a portrait in a rocking chair on her new front porch during her welcome home gathering June 14, 2024, in the Historic Southside. <\/p>\n

North Texas has a very important connection to Juneteenth\u2014it is home to Opal Lee, the \u201cGrandmother of Juneteenth.\u201d<\/p>\n

During the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation <\/a>declaring that enslaved people in the Confederate states\u2014including Texas\u2014were free. But the news didn\u2019t reach Texas until June 19, 1865, when Gen. Gordon Granger of the Union Army arrived in Galveston. Since that day, Juneteenth was celebrated locally as a second independence day.<\/p>\n

In 2016, Opal Lee\u2014a retired teacher, councilor and activist\u2014walked from Fort Worth to Washington, D.C., at the age of 89 to convince lawmakers to recognize the date as a federal holiday. In 2021, she achieved just that when President Joe Biden signed the designation. Lee received the Presidential Medal of Freedom. She still resides in Fort Worth\u2019s Southside neighborhood.<\/p>\n

Assassination of JFK<\/p>\n

\"FILE<\/p>\n

FILE – In this Nov. 22, 1963 file photo, President John F. Kennedy waves from his car in a motorcade in Dallas. Riding with Kennedy are First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy, right, Nellie Connally, second from left, and her husband, Texas Gov. John Connally, far left. The National Archives released the John F. Kennedy assassination files on Thursday, Oct. 26, 2017. (AP Photo\/Jim Altgens, File)<\/p>\n

In the fall of 1963, President John F. Kennedy was on the campaign trail with a stop in Texas to visit five cities in two days. His first day started in San Antonio, continued to Houston and ended in Fort Worth. On Nov. 22, 1963, thousands gathered on Dallas streets as the president traveled on a route through downtown to the Trade Mart to speak at a luncheon. But as the motorcade passed the Texas School Book Depository, near Dealey Plaza, gunfire erupted. The president was shot and killed.<\/p>\n

Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson was sworn in as president shortly after while aboard Air Force One at Dallas Love Field. Lee Harvey Oswald was arrested for the assassination at the Texas Theater on Jefferson Street in Dallas. But two days later, Jack Ruby shot and killed Oswald at the Dallas Police Headquarters.<\/p>\n

Roe vs Wade<\/p>\n

\"Norma<\/p>\n

Norma McCorvey, who adopted the pseudonym “Jane Roe” in the Supreme Court’s Roe v. Wade decision, is seen in 1990.<\/p>\n

Norma McCorvey, under the pseudonym Jane Roe, lived in Dallas County when she became pregnant with her third child and sought to have an abortion. Texas\u2019 laws at the time only allowed abortion when necessary to save the mother\u2019s life. Roe\u2019s lawyers sued Henry Wade, the local district attorney, declaring that the Texas law was unconstitutional. In 1973, the case made it to the Supreme Court, and the eventual ruling agreed that the right of privacy, part of the Fourteenth Amendment, protects a woman\u2019s choice to have an abortion.\u202f<\/p>\n

This landmark decision stood for 50 years but was overturned in 2022 when the Supreme Court rolled back abortion rights to the states. Justice Samuel Alito said that the 1973 ruling was \u201can abuse of judicial authority.\u201d Today, abortion rights vary widely \u2013 with some states imposing a total ban to others protecting the right.<\/p>\n

Nieman Marcus<\/p>\n

\"Neiman<\/p>\n

Neiman Marcus in downtown Dallas.<\/p>\n

Herbert Marcus \u2014 along with his sister Carrie Marcus Neiman and her husband A.L. Neiman \u2014 had an innovative idea that changed fashion forever: high-end, ready-to-wear fashion. In 1907, they opened their first store in downtown Dallas at the intersection of Elm Street and North Field Street.<\/p>\n

Following a fire a few years later, Nieman Marcus opened its flagship store on Main Street and Ervay Street.<\/p>\n

Neiman Marcus became part of the city\u2019s identity and a symbol of wealth and status. The brand also expanded to 36 stores across the country.<\/p>\n

In May 2020, the company filed for Chapter 11 protection, the first of several department stores to be affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. It emerged from bankruptcy in September that same year and in 2024, Saks Global acquired the brand. Saks Global filed for Chapter 11 protection in January 2026 to restructure debts. In June of 2026, Saks announced the flagship store in downtown Dallas would shut its doors for good by the end of September.<\/p>\n

Bonnie and Clyde<\/p>\n

\"Mugshot<\/p>\n

Mugshot of Clyde Chestnut\u202f”Champion”\u202fBarrow<\/p>\n

Bonnie and Clyde<\/a> are well-known outlaws who were sensationalized in pop culture.<\/p>\n

Bonnie Elizabeth Parker\u202f(October 1, 1910\u202f\u2013 May 23, 1934) was from\u202fRowena, Texas, and\u202fClyde Chestnut\u202f”Champion”\u202fBarrow\u202f(March 24, 1909\u202f\u2013 May 23, 1934)\u202fwas from Telico, Texas. The two met in January 1930 and after Barrow was paroled in 1932, he paired up with Bonnie to commit a series of bank robberies, kidnappings and murders. They are accused of murdering nine police officers and three civilians.<\/p>\n

On May 23, 1934, a law enforcement posse led by retired\u202fTexas Ranger\u202fFrank Hamer ambushed and killed\u202fthe couple in\u202fBienville Parish, Louisiana.<\/p>\n

Many films were made about the duo, including the famous 1967 film that sparked a change in fashion \u2014 Faye Dunaway\u2019s wardrobe in the movie later became known as the \u201cBonnie look.\u201d<\/p>\n

Today, fans visit their bullet-riddled car in Nevada and take tours in Dallas to locations the couple visited and their gravestones.<\/p>\n

Dallas Cowboys<\/p>\n

\"Dallas<\/p>\n

Dallas Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb runs past a pass thrown into the end zone by quarterback Cooper Rush as Philadelphia Eagles’ Cooper DeJean (33) and Jake Ferguson (87) look on in the first half of an NFL football game in Arlington, Texas, Sunday, Nov. 10, 2024. <\/p>\n

Football is a way of life in Texas, and when you think pro football, the Dallas Cowboys are always top of mind.\u202f<\/p>\n

The team was founded in 1960 and rose to fame as \u201cAmerican\u2019s Team\u201d with Tom Landry at the helm as the lead coach.<\/p>\n

The team has the NFL record for the most consecutive wins with 20 seasons from 1966 to 1985. Landry also led the team to two Super Bowls wins and is considered one of the best football coaches of all time.\u202f<\/p>\n

The Cowboys continued their performances with three more Super Bowl wins in the 1990s.\u202f<\/p>\n

The team played at the Cotton Bowl until 1971 when they moved to Texas Stadium in Irving. Then in 2009 they landed in the AT&T Stadium in Arlington.\u202f<\/p>\n

In 1989, Jerry Jones purchased the team.\u202f<\/p>\n

The team continues to be favored as the first sports team to reach $4 billion in franchise value and later surpassing $10 billion.\u202f<\/p>\n

Van Cliburn<\/p>\n

\"Van<\/p>\n

Every four years, pianists from all over the world converge on Fort Worth for a competition dubbed the \u201cthe instrument\u2019s Olympics.\u201d\u202fThe Van Cliburn International Piano Competition became part of the legacy of the world-renowned pianist Van Cliburn.\u202f<\/p>\n

Harvey Lavan Cliburn, Jr. was born in Shreveport, Louisiana, in 1934. His family relocated to Kilgore, Texas, where he attended high school.\u202f<\/p>\n

From a young age he showed extraordinary talent for piano and played in Carnegie Hall\u202fat the age of 13. He continued winning competitions and awards that his hometown proclaimed April 8, 1953, as \u201cVan Cliburn Day.\u201d\u202f<\/p>\n

In 1958, while the Soviet Union was celebrating the launch of\u202fSputnik\u202finto space, Cliburn played his way to winning the International Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow. The 23-year-old played Tchaikovsky’s First Piano Concerto, and his recording of it became the first classical album to go platinum.\u202f<\/p>\n

Over the years, Cliburn played for presidents and royalty advancing the American appreciation for classical music.\u202f \u202f<\/p>\n

Cliburn died in 2013 and his funeral was attended by a former president and sitting governor along with thousands more.\u202f\u202f<\/p>\n

Amber Alerts<\/p>\n

\"Amber<\/p>\n

Many of us are familiar with alerts on our phones and along the highway notifying us of child abductions. This nationwide system started with a nine-year-old girl in Arlington.<\/p>\n

In January 1996, Amber Hagerman was riding her pink bike when a man in a black pickup truck kidnapped her. The search lasted four days before her body was found near a creek. Her killer has not been found.<\/p>\n

Diane Simone, a Fort Worth resident, saw reports on the kidnapping and contacted a local station to implement an alert system, which she called Amber\u2019s Plan. Television and radio stations across the region joined the plan, and in 1998 an infant was saved when someone heard the alerts.<\/p>\n

In 2003, President George W. Bush\u202fsigned the Protect Act which nationalized the AMBER (America\u2019s Missing: Broadcast Emergency Response) Alert System. Hagerman\u2019s family and other kidnap victims attended the signing of the act in Washington DC.<\/p>\n

As of December 2025, 1,292 children were rescued using the system.<\/p>\n

George W. Bush<\/p>\n

\"George<\/p>\n

George W. and Laura Bush, the former president and first lady, at the funeral of his father in 2018.<\/p>\n

George Walker Bush is one of the country\u2019s most well-known politicians, and he has a specific place in Texas history. Born in Connecticut, Bush was raised in Midland and later in Houston. He served in the Air Force and attended Yale and Harvard. After college, Bush returned to Midland and wed Laura Welch.<\/p>\n

Bush served as the governor of Texas from 1995 to 2000 before turning his attention to the national level. He was elected as the 43rd president of the United States and served until 2009.<\/p>\n

The September 11 terrorist attacks occurred early on during his presidency. In response, Bush declared a War on Terror and created the Department of Homeland Security. He also signed the Patriot Act that authorized surveillance of suspected terrorists.<\/p>\n

After his presidency, Bush picked up painting and published two books of his paintings of veterans and immigrants. He also authored two other books, including the memoir\u202fDecision Points.<\/p>\n

The George W. Bush Presidential Center is located at the Southern Methodist University in Dallas. It houses a museum, presidential library and the George W. Bush\u202fInstitute, a policy organization. The center is surrounded by the Laura W. Bush Native Texas Park.<\/p>\n

American Airlines<\/p>\n

\"American<\/p>\n

American Airlines airplanes are docked at gates Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2023, at DFW International Airport. <\/p>\n

The Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport officially opened in January 1974 when an American Airlines flight from New York to Dallas landed on its tarmac.<\/p>\n

Plans to build a regional airport go way back to the 1920s, but disputes between Fort Worth and Dallas kept the plans from fruition. After intervention from the FAA, the airport site that touches the cities of Coppell, Euless, Grapevine and Irving was chosen. Construction began in 1968 and took 5 years to complete. The airport is owned by Dallas and Fort Worth.\u202f\u202f<\/p>\n

American moved its headquarters from New York City to the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex and opened its hub in DFW in 1981.\u202f<\/p>\n

Today, DFW is the second largest airport in the U.S. by land mass, having its own ZIP code and USPS city designation of \u201cDFW Airport, TX.\u201d It also is one of the busiest airports in the world.\u202f<\/p>\n

Currently, construction on a sixth terminal is in progress. The new Terminal F will have 31 gates and will be operated by American Airlines. The airline also launched a new electronic boarding system at DFW and will install the gates in 2026.\u202f<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The U.S. is celebrating the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Since that day,…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":358490,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[116,118,117],"class_list":["post-358489","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-fort-worth","tag-fort-worth","tag-fort-worth-headlines","tag-fort-worth-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/358489","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=358489"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/358489\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/358490"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=358489"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=358489"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=358489"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}