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There was a time when people used to write their thoughts, opinions and even catch up with friends in 140 words. This was when social media platform Twitter was a favourite among the youth as well as celebrities. But, Twitter was replaced by X on July 24, 2023, after the company’s takeover by billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk.
If you are a history geek who loves to learn about important events from the past, Firstpost Explainers’ ongoing series, History Today, will be your one-stop destination to explore key events.
One of the most spontaneous debates during the Cold War took place between then-US Vice President Richard Nixon and Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev during the opening of the American National Exhibition in Moscow on July 24, 1959. The debate is popularly known as the ‘Kitchen Debate’.
Here is all that happened on this day.
Twitter was rebranded as X
Twitter’s blue bird was replaced by the black and white X on July 24, 202, after the one-of-its-kind social networking platform was rebranded as X. The rebranding was part of a transformation of Twitter into a future ’everything app’ after it was taken over by entrepreneur Elon Musk.
The move came just months after Musk acquired Twitter in October 2022 for $44 billion. Since then, the platform has undergone sweeping changes, from major staffing cuts and subscription model tweaks to controversial moderation policies. The rebrand to X was arguably the most symbolic and polarising change yet.
Musk had long expressed his fascination with the letter ‘X’, evident in his other ventures like SpaceX and x.com (an online bank he co-founded that later merged to form PayPal). He envisioned X as a platform that would move beyond just social networking, aiming to integrate various functionalities to create a comprehensive digital ecosystem, akin to China’s WeChat.
Critics viewed the rebrand as abrupt and disorienting. Twitter’s bird logo and name had become deeply ingrained in global culture. Replacing this iconic identity left many users confused and nostalgic. Some branding experts called it one of the most aggressive and risky pivots in tech history.
Musk explained that the X brand reflects his long-held vision of building a comprehensive digital hub that combines messaging, payments, audio, video and even job listings. “Twitter was just a name,” he tweeted. “X is the future of unlimited interactivity.”
‘Kitchen Debate’ between Nixon and Khrushchev
On this day in 1959, then-US Vice President Richard Nixon and Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev engaged in a spontaneous and iconic exchange known as the “Kitchen Debate”. It occurred at the opening of the American National Exhibition at Sokolniki Park, an event designed to showcase American consumer goods and lifestyle.
The debate was largely impromptu, taking place in various sections of the exhibition, but most famously in a model of a typical American suburban home’s kitchen, fully equipped with modern appliances like a dishwasher, refrigerator, and electric stove. Nixon proudly presented these items as evidence of the superiority of the capitalist system, arguing that they made life easier for American women and demonstrated the widespread affluence enjoyed by ordinary citizens.
Khrushchev, however, scoffed at the displays, dismissing them as frivolous gadgets and questioning their true value. He boasted about Soviet industrial and scientific achievements, particularly in space, and asserted that the Soviet Union would soon surpass the U.S. in both production and living standards.
At one point, Nixon said, “This is the kind of thing that makes people want to live in our country,” gesturing toward the modern appliances. Khrushchev countered, “Your capitalistic attitude toward women does not occur under communism.” The debate was spirited but respectful, filled with both posturing and humour.
The Kitchen Debate wasn’t just about domestic appliances - it symbolised the competition for global influence between two superpowers.
This Day, That Year
On this day in 1974, the US Supreme Court ruled that President Richard Nixon had to provide transcripts of Watergate tapes to special prosecutor Leon Jaworski.
In 1944, Soviet forces liberated the Majdanek concentration and extermination camp on the outskirts of the city of Lublin, Poland.
Brigham Young and his fellow Mormons arrived in Salt Lake City, Utah, on this day in 1847.
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