On this day: June 16

1931’s Don’t Look Now: Audiences Faint at the First Modern Horror Hit

When Universal Pictures’ Dracula premiered on June 16, 1931, reports circulated that the film’s moody atmosphere, unsettling visuals and Bela Lugosi’s performance provoked fainting and faint praise in some theaters — a reaction that helped define early cinematic horror.

First Known Report of Cult-Induced Starvation Deaths, June 16, 1971

On June 16, 1971, authorities reported the first documented case in which members of a religious sect died from deliberate starvation linked to group practices—prompting legal scrutiny and public concern about coercive communal diets.

Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho premieres and shocks 1960 audiences

On June 16, 1960, Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho premiered in New York, delivering an unprecedented blend of psychological suspense, striking editing and a controversial marketing campaign that polarized critics and terrified viewers.

Coney Island's First Roller Coaster Debuts, June 16, 1884

On June 16, 1884, a gravity-powered roller coaster—often cited as the first of its kind in American amusement—opened at Coney Island, marking an early milestone in the development of modern amusement parks.

Police Open Fire on Students in Soweto Uprising

On 16 June 1976, South African police fired on unarmed black schoolchildren protesting a government order to use Afrikaans as a medium of instruction in Soweto, sparking widespread unrest and becoming a turning point in resistance to apartheid.

Trinity Test Site Secretly Activated on June 16, 1945

On June 16, 1945, the Trinity test site in New Mexico was quietly brought online as U.S. Army and Manhattan Project teams prepared for history’s first atomic detonation; the activation preceded the July 16 test by one month and involved final instrument checks, security measures, and assembly rehearsals.