14 wonderful things that happened on Friday the 13th
Gabbi Shaw
- Traditionally, Friday the 13th is considered a "cursed" date, but it doesn't have to be.
- President Johnson signed an executive order preventing gender discrimination on October 13, 1967.
Friday the 13th has a long history of freaking people out.
When this day rolls around, people buy and travel less. In fact, the global economy is estimated to lose as much as $900 million every time a Friday lands on the 13th.
However, the Dutch Center for Insurance Statistics reported in 2008 that Friday the 13th is actually statistically safer than other Fridays — there are fewer accidents and reports of fire and theft on these days.
If that doesn't convince you, keep scrolling to learn about some positive events that took place on a Friday the 13th.
Taylor Swift has been trying to reclaim the number 13 for years. In 2023, "Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour" premiered on October 13.
Swift was born on December 13, 1989, and has repeatedly stated that 13 is her favorite number — she even used to perform with "13" drawn on her hand.
As part of her 13 agenda, her blockbuster concert film "Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour" premiered in theaters on Friday, October 13, 2023. It went on to become the highest-grossing concert film of all time after grossing $261 million worldwide, according to Box Office Mojo.
President Lyndon B. Johnson signed an executive order preventing gender discrimination in the government.
While Title VII officially prevented discrimination based on race, color, religion, national origin, and sex for private employers, it wasn't until Executive Order 11375 that discrimination based on gender was illegal for the federal government and federal contractors.
President Johnson signed the order, which was officially titled Amending Executive Order No. 11246, Relating to Equal Employment Opportunity, on October 13, 1967.
Malta became a republic.
The tiny Mediterranean country of Malta first became independent of the British in 1964, but officially became a republic on December 13, 1974.
Even though it's small, Malta is an underrated place to visit.
The queens of the '90s, Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, were born.
The Olsen twins were born on June 13, 1986.
They famously got their start on "Full House" and went on to create an empire: books, videos, perfume, clothing lines, and much more.
The Olympics officially returned to their home country.
The 2004 Summer Olympics were held in Athens, Greece, the country where they started — both in ancient and modern times. The opening ceremony took place on August 13.
It was the largest Olympic Games at the time, with 201 countries participating. According to the Olympics, Michael Phelps also won his first Olympic medal and broke his first record in Athens.
Evelyn "Pinky" Kilgare-Brier became the first certified female pilot instructor.
According to the National Museum of the US Air Force, Kilgare-Brier became the first woman to receive an airplane instructor's license on October 13, 1939.
She was an important figure for women in aviation. She also flew non-combat missions during World War II, and after the war she owned and operated her own private airport, according to her obituary in the Los Angeles Times.
The first scientifically recognized dinosaur eggs were discovered.
According to the American Museum of Natural History, Roy Chapman Andrews discovered the first dinosaur eggs at a dig in Mongolia on July 13, 1923.
Scientifically, this was huge for the field of paleontology, confirming that dinosaurs laid eggs. The museum was so impressed that Andrews went on to become its director from 1935 to 1942.
The famous Hollywood sign was dedicated.
The Hollywood sign is an iconic piece of California culture. But when it was officially dedicated on July 13, 1923, it wasn't even supposed to last for more than two years.
Originally, the sign was installed to promote a new subdivision in the Hollywood Hills.
"Super Mario Bros." was released.
"Super Mario Bros.," one of the most iconic video games in history, was released on September 13, 1985 — exclusively in Japan, per The Verge.
Since then, Mario has been in approximately 170 games, including wildly successful spin-offs like "Mario Kart," "Mario Party," and "Paper Mario."
A "significant amount" of water was found on the Moon.
A lunar space station has long been the subject of science fiction novels, but on November 13, 2009, that dream took one step closer to reality when NASA announced they found water on the Moon.
How much is a "significant amount"? According to NASA's Anthony Colaprete, around a dozen 2-gallon bucketfuls.
Black Sabbath released their debut album and invented heavy metal.
The 69th best debut album of all time, according to Rolling Stone, Black Sabbath's self-titled album was released on February 13, 1970.
The album is widely regarded as having created the genre of heavy metal, with instant classics like "NIB." and "The Wizard."
Actor Steve Buscemi was born.
Steve Buscemi was born on December 13, 1957. Buscemi might be famous as an actor, but he also has a lesser-known second career: a New York City firefighter.
Buscemi became an NYC firefighter at age 18. He eventually left the service to pursue acting, but in the aftermath of 9/11, Buscemi helped with rescue efforts and worked 12-hour shifts sifting through the rubble.
"Friday the 13th Part III" was released.
Of the iconic "Friday the 13th" movie saga, "Part III" was the first to actually open on Friday the 13th (August 13, 1982), the first to experiment with 3D, and the first appearance of Jason's mask.
Even though the movie was critically panned, the movie made over $36 million against a $2.3 million budget, according to Box Office Mojo.
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