Day Tripping: June 12

Detention, Dictators, and Debuts

Doing Hard Time

After being convicted in a South African court on charges of sabotage in 1964, Nelson Mandela and several fellow members of the ANC were sentenced to life in prison. He began serving his sentence at the Robben Island Prison, a nearly medieval facility with no bed or plumbing in a small cell. For eighteen of his twenty-seven years of captivity, Mandela endured his time at hard labour and was only allowed one visitor per year for thirty minutes.

Unbroken and undeterred, Nelson Mandela successfully used his doctrine of civil disobedience to gain dramatic reforms and improvements to conditions for inmates at the prison. For the final nine years, he was imprisoned, Mandela was sent into a house arrest arrangement at another location before being released in 1990.

Convicting A Tyrant

Former self-proclaimed emperor of the Central African Republic, Jean-Bédel Bokassa was sentenced to death in 1987. At first, when he declared himself President for life in 1977, Bokassa put on lavish coronation for himself that cost $20 million, including a solid-gold eagle-winged throne. When he was arrested at his palace, authorities dredged the crocodile pond and found thirty of the Emperor’s victims as well assorted human limbs in refrigerators.

Appropriately known as the Butcher of Bangui, Bokassa’s legacy is rife with accusations of cannibalism, torture, and the execution of army officers as well as schoolchildren. Incredibly, Jean-Bédel Bokassa only served seven years in prison before being declared completely reformed by President Francois Bozize.

All The Globe’s A Stage

A replica of William Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre was reopened by Queen Elizabeth II in 1997 after four years of construction. The rebuild which cost $47 million, was commemorated more than 350 years after the original was closed by Ordinance to coincide with the first British Civil War in 1642. All theatrical performances were banned at the time, citing the stoppage of lascivious Mirth and Levity during these times of humiliation.

The new Shakespeare’s Globe was built 750 feet from its original site, and the opening night featured a performance of Henry V. The new theatre is an approximate likeness based on available literature.

Musical Milestones

In 2007, Canada Post issued four stamps to honour iconic Canadian artists Gordon Lightfoot, Joni Mitchell, Paul Anka, and Anne Murray. Deserved by all, but one can’t help but wonder what happened to Leonard Cohen, Neil Young, and Shania Twain.

Narratives

While standing in front of the Berlin Wall in 1987, President Ronald Reagan made his famous plea in 1987 during his speech, “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall”, referring to the Soviet Chairman.

Remembrance

Among the most humble film stars in history, Gregory Peck starred in several of American cinema’s best including To Kill A Mockingbird, Gentleman’s Agreement, Cape Fear, and Roman Holiday. He died in 2013 at the age of 87.

Notable Births

1929 — Anne Frank received her famous diary as a 13th birthday gift in 1942

1941—One of the greats of Jazz piano, Chick Corea

1977 — Bluesman, guitarist, and singer with The Rides, Kenny Wayne Shepherd

K. Barrett Katie Wallace Maria Rattray Maryam Merchant Dr Mehmet Yildiz Tree Langdon Myriam Ben Salem Phil Truman Chelsea Mandler MAT Terry Mansfield Hollie Petit, PhD. Terry Trueman Dr Preeti Singh John Gruber Bill Abbate James G Brennan ScienceDuuude Marcus Liam Ireland Claire Kelly Noorain Hassan, BMS Amy Pierovich David Acaster Nora Thewriteyard David Perlmutter Joe Luca

The Story Of Day Tripping Through History What’s Past Is Often Present

A comprehensive directory for Day Tripping