A Year In History: 2005

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This Year in History:

2005

Discover what happened in this year with HISTORY’s summaries of major events, anniversaries, famous births and notable deaths.

January 26

George W. Bush appoints Condoleezza Rice as secretary of state

On January 26, 2005, President George W. Bush appoints Condoleezza Rice to the post of secretary of state, making her the highest ranking African American woman ever to serve in a presidential cabinet. A native of Birmingham, Alabama, Dr. Rice’s credentials included advanced degrees in political science and international relations from prestigious schools, followed by […]

February 3

Alberto Gonzales becomes first Hispanic U.S. attorney general

On February 3, 2005, Alberto Gonzales wins Senate confirmation as the nation’s first Hispanic attorney general despite protests over his record on torture. The Senate approved his nomination on a largely party-line vote of 60-36, reflecting a split between Republicans and Democrats over whether the administration’s counterterrorism policies had led to the abuse of prisoners […]

February 12

Christo and Jeanne-Claude’s “The Gates” opens in New York’s Central Park

On February 12, 2005, 7,503 orange curtains unfurl across New York City’s Central Park from thousands of gates. The art installation, Christo and Jeanne-Claude’s “The Gates,” will be gone by the end of the month, but it will leave a lasting impression and be remembered as one of the best-known and most beloved works of […]

March 13

Disney names Robert Iger as new chief executive

On March 13, 2005, the board of directors of the Walt Disney Company officially announces that Robert Iger, Disney’s president and chief operating officer, will succeed Michael Eisner as the company’s chief executive officer (CEO). As Disney’s chief executive since 1984, Eisner was credited with expanding the company’s reach into diverse realms of the entertainment […]

May 20

Convicted sex offender Mary Kay Letourneau marries former victim

On May 20, 2005, ex-teacher and convicted sex offender Mary Kay Letourneau, 43, marries her former student and the father of two of her children, Vili Fualaau, 22. Just nine months earlier, Letourneau had been released from prison after serving a seven-and-a-half year sentence for raping an underage Fualaau. Letourneau first met Fualaau when she […]

May 29

Danica Patrick becomes first woman to lead Indy 500

On May 29, 2005, 23-year-old Danica Patrick becomes the first female driver to take the lead in the storied Indianapolis 500. Having previously distinguished herself in the Toyota Atlantic series, Patrick had qualified fourth—another best for a woman—for the 89th Indianapolis 500, only her fifth Indy Racing League event. (Toyota Atlantic served as a feeder […]

May 31

Identity of “Deep Throat,” source who helped unravel the Watergate scandal, is revealed

On May 31, 2005, W. Mark Felt’s family ends 30 years of speculation, identifying Felt, the former FBI assistant director, as “Deep Throat,” the secret source who helped unravel the Watergate scandal. Felt’s admission, made in an article in Vanity Fair magazine, took legendary reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, who had promised to keep […]

June 24

Tom Cruise raises eyebrows in “Today” show interview

The actor Tom Cruise has an infamous interview with Matt Lauer, host of NBC’s morning talk show Today, on June 24, 2005. During the interview, Lauer challenged Cruise about critical comments the actor had made regarding the actress Brooke Shields’ use of anti-depressant medications to treat her post-partum depression. One of Hollywood’s most bankable leading […]