2000 in the United States
The following lists events that happened during 2000 in the United States.
Incumbents
Federal government
- President: Bill Clinton
- Vice President: Al Gore
- Chief Justice: William Rehnquist
- Speaker of the House of Representatives: Dennis Hastert
- Senate Majority Leader: Trent Lott
- Congress: 106th
Governors
Lieutenant governors
Events
January
- January 4 – Alan Greenspan is nominated for a fourth term as U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman.
- January 5–8 – The 2000 al-Qaeda Summit of several high-level al-Qaeda members is held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
- January 10 – America Online announces an agreement to purchase Time Warner for $162 billion.
- January 12 – Elián González affair: Attorney General Janet Reno rules that a child rescued by Coastguards must be returned to his father in Cuba.
- January 14 – The Dow Jones Industrial Average closes at 11,722.98.
- January 19 – A dorm fire at Seton Hall University kills three people and injures several others. Three years later, Sean Ryan and Joseph LePore are convicted of arson and sentenced to five years in prison.
- January 26 – The rap-metal band Rage Against the Machine plays in front of Wall Street, prompting an early closing of trading due to the crowds.
- January 30 – Super Bowl XXXIV: The St. Louis Rams win the NFL Championship for the first time since 1951, defeating the Tennessee Titans 23–16.
- January 31 – Alaska Airlines Flight 261 crashes in the Pacific Ocean, killing all 88 people on board.
February
- February 11 – A blast from an improvised explosive device in front of a Barclay's Bank, across from the New York Stock Exchange on Wall Street, wounds dozens but kills none.
- February 13 – The final original Peanuts comic strip is published, following the death of its creator, Charles Schulz.
- February 17 – Microsoft releases Windows 2000.
March
- March 7 – Texas Governor George W. Bush and U.S. Vice President Al Gore emerge victorious in the Republican and Democratic caucuses and primaries of the United States presidential election.
- March 9 – The FBI arrests art forgery suspect Ely Sakhai in New York City.
- March 10 – The NASDAQ Composite Index reaches an all-time high of 5,048.
- March 20 – Jamil Abdullah Al-Amin, a former Black Panther, is captured after a gun battle in Atlanta, Georgia that leaves a sheriff's deputy dead.
- March 21 – The U.S. Supreme Court rules that the government lacks authority to regulate tobacco as an addictive drug, throwing out the Clinton administration's main anti-smoking initiative.
- March 27 – The Phillips explosion of 2000 kills one and injures 71 in Pasadena, Texas.
April
- April – The unemployment rate drops to a low of 3.8%, the lowest since December 1969.
- April – The labor force participation rate hits a historical peak of 67.4%.
- April – The employment-population ratio reaches an all-time high of 64.8%.
- April 1 – The 2000 United States Census determines the resident population of the United States to be 281,421,906.
- April 3 – United States v. Microsoft: Microsoft is ruled to have violated United States antitrust laws by keeping "an oppressive thumb" on its competitors.
- April 22 – In a predawn raid, federal agents seize 6-year old Elián González from his relatives' home in Miami, Florida and fly him to his Cuban father in Washington, DC, ending one of the most publicized custody battles in U.S. history.
- April 25 – The State of Vermont passes HB847, legalizing civil unions for same-sex couples.
- April 28 – Richard Baumhammers begins a two-hour racially motivated shooting spree in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, leaving five dead and one paralyzed.
May
- May 3 – In San Antonio, Texas, computer pioneer Datapoint files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
- May 24 – Five people are shot and killed during a robbery at a Wendy's in Queens, New York.
- May 28 – The comic strip Bringing Up Father ends its 87-year run in newspapers.
June
- June 1 – Expo 2000, the world's fair in Hanover, Germany, begins without the attendance of the United States.
- June 5 – 405 The Movie, the first short film widely distributed on the Internet, is released.
- June 7 – United States Microsoft antitrust case: A Court orders the breakup of the Microsoft corporation because of its monopoly in the computer software market.
- June 28 – Elián González affair: Elián González seized by the Immigration and Naturalization Service and returned to Cuba.
July
- July 12 – A 30 year old American mechanic named Thomas Jones was pursued by law enforcement officers from the Philadelphia Police Department in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. More than one dozen officers beat and attacked Jones while he was wounded.
- July 31–August 3 – The Republican National Convention in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania nominates Texas Governor George W. Bush for U.S. President and Dick Cheney for Vice President.
August
- August 8 – The Confederate submarine H. L. Hunley is raised to the surface after 136 years on the ocean floor.
- August 14–17 – The Democratic National Convention in Los Angeles nominates U.S. Vice President Al Gore for President and Senator Joe Lieberman for Vice President.
September
- September 3 – The 5.0 Yountville earthquake shook the North Bay area of California with a maximum Mercalli intensity of VII, causing 41 injuries and $10–50 million in losses.
- September 6 – In Paragould, Arkansas, Breanna Lynn Bartlett-Stewart is stillborn to Jason Stewart and Lisa Bartlett. Breanna Lynn's stillbirth is notable for being the first stillbirth to be identified by means of the Kleihauer-Betke test.
- September 8 – The United Nations Millennium Declaration is made in New York City.
October
- October 1 – In the final baseball game played at Three Rivers Stadium, the Pittsburgh Pirates lose to the Chicago Cubs 10–9.
- October 11 – of coal sludge spill in Martin County, Kentucky.
- October 12 – In Aden, Yemen, the USS Cole is badly damaged by two Al-Qaeda suicide bombers, who place a small boat laden with explosives alongside the United States Navy destroyer, killing 17 crew members and wounding at least 39.
- October 16 – Mel Carnahan, Democratic Governor of Missouri and U.S. Senate candidate, dies in a plane crash in Jefferson County, Missouri, three weeks before the election for that office. Lieutenant Governor Roger B. Wilson succeeds Carnahan as Missouri's Governor.
- October 23 – Madeleine Albright holds talks with North Korean dictator Kim Jong Il.
- October 26 – The New York Yankees defeat the New York Mets in Game 5 of the 2000 World Series, 4–1, to win their 26th World Series title. This is the first Subway Series matchup between the two crosstown rivals. It is the Yankees' fourth World Series win under manager Joe Torre.
November
- November 7
- *2000 United States presidential election: Republican candidate Texas Governor George W. Bush defeats Democratic Vice President Al Gore in the closest election in history, but the final outcome is not known for over a month because of disputed votes in Florida.
- *Hillary Clinton is elected to the United States Senate, becoming the first First Lady of the United States to win public office.
- *Just three weeks after his death, Mel Carnahan is posthumously elected to the United States Senate defeating Republican incumbent John Ashcroft. Then-Governor Roger B. Wilson appoints his widow, Jean Carnahan, to fill the seat for him.
- November 8 – U.S. presidential election, 2000: Per Florida law, an automatic recount begins in the state due to the narrow margin of the outcome.
- November 12 – The United States recognizes the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.
- November 16 – Bill Clinton becomes the first sitting U.S. President to visit Vietnam.
- November 17 – U.S. presidential election, 2000: The Supreme Court of Florida prevents Florida Secretary of State Katherine Harris from certifying the election results, allowing recounting to continue.
December
- December 8 – U.S. presidential election, 2000: The Supreme Court of Florida orders a statewide manual recount of the votes in the presidential election. The next day the U.S. Supreme Court places a stay on this order.
- December 12 – U.S. presidential election, 2000 – Bush v. Gore: The U.S. Supreme Court overturns the ruling by the Florida Supreme Court, ending the recount and effectively giving the state, and the Presidency, to Texas Governor George W. Bush. The following day, U.S. Vice President Al Gore concedes the election and suspends the activities of his recount committee.
- December 13 – The Texas Seven escape from their prison unit in Kenedy, Texas, and start a crime spree.
- December 16
- *Property appraiser Jerry Michael Williams is reported missing after going duck hunting at Lake Seminole and is assumed to have accidentally drowned. His wife Denise is convicted of his murder 18 years later.
- *The Pittsburgh Steelers close out the final game at Three Rivers Stadium with a 24–6 victory over the Washington Redskins.
- December 20 – Brothers Reginald and Jonathan Carr break into a house in Wichita, Kansas, subjecting the occupants to rape and torture, and eventual murder. Only one of the occupants survived and the brothers were caught the next day. The event became known as the Wichita massacre.
- December 24 – The Texas Seven rob a sports store in Irving, Texas; police officer Aubrey Hawkins is shot dead.
- December 26 – Wakefield Massacre: Michael McDermott kills seven coworkers at Edgewater Technology in Wakefield, Massachusetts.
- December 28 – U.S. retail giant Montgomery Ward announces it is going out of business after 128 years.
- December 31 – President Bill Clinton signs the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court.
Ongoing
- Iraqi no-fly zones
- Dot-com bubble
Births">:Category:2000 births">Births
January">Births in January 2000">January
- January 4 –, actress
- January 7 – Marcus Scribner, actor
- January 8 – Noah Cyrus, actress
- January 11 – Shareef O'Neal, basketball player
- January 26 – Piper Mackenzie Harris, actress and model
February">Births in February 2000">February
- February 1 – Paris Smith, American actress and singer
- February 5 – Jordan Nagai, actor
- February 10 – Yara Shahidi, actress
- February 25
- * Tucker Albrizzi, actor
- * Laura Ann Kesling, actress
March">Births in March 2000">March
- March 1 - Ava Allan, actress
- March 6 - Jacob Bertrand, actor
- March 10 - Norah Flatley, artistic gymnast
- March 25
- * Camden Pulkinen, figure skater
- * Christian Traeumer, actor
- March 30 – Regan Mizrahi, actor
April">Births in April 2000">April
- April 6 – CJ Adams, actor
- April 9 – Jackie Evancho, singer
- April 11
- * Alexei Krasnozhon, Russian-American figure skater
- * Morgan Lily, actress
May">Births in May 2000">May
- May 7 - Maxwell Perry Cotton, actor
- May 30 - Jared S. Gilmore, actor
June">Births in June 2000">June
- June 1 – Willow Shields, actress
- June 2 – Andy Lopez, student
- June 8 – Hayes Grier, Internet personality
- June 9 – Laurie Hernandez, artistic gymnast
July">Births in July 2000">July
- July 7 – Chloe Csengery, actress
- July 8
- * Sophie Nyweide, actress
- * Benjamin Stockham, actor
- July 16 – Jonathan Morgan Heit, actor
- July 24 – Ame Deal, murder victim
- July 25
- * Preston Bailey, actor
- * Mason Cook, actor
- * Meg Donnelly, actress
- July 28 – Emily Hahn, actress
August">Births in August 2000">August
- August 3 - Landry Bender, actress
- August 5 – Maya Bond, singer, songwriter, and musician
- August 12 – Prince Achileas-Andreas of Greece and Denmark, son of Pavlos, Crown Prince of Greece
- August 13 – Piper Reese, journalist
- August 15 – Umi Garrett,
- August 20 – Fátima Ptacek, actor and model
- August 24 – Griffin Gluck, actor
- August 29 – Adam Nash, notable child
September">Births in September 2000">September
- September 22 – Tallan Latz, guitar player
- September 28 – Frankie Jonas, actor
October">Births in October 2000">October
- October 6 – Jazz Jennings, teenage trans woman
- October 10 – Aedin Mincks, actor
- October 11 – Hayden Byerly, actor
- October 12 – Aedin Mincks, actor
- October 26 – Ellery Sprayberry, actress
- October 31 – Willow Smith, actress, singer, and the daughter of Will and Jada Pinkett Smith
November">Births in November 2000">November
- November 8 – Jade Pettyjohn, actress
- November 10 – Mackenzie Foy, model and actress
- November 22 – Auli'i Cravalho, actress
December">Births in December 2000">December
- December 2 - Kirby Ballard, gamer
- December 12 - Lucas Jade Zumann, actor
- December 24 – Ethan Bortnick, singer, composer, songwriter, actor, and musician
- December 26 – Samuel Sevian, chessmaster
Full date unknown
- Brigid Harrington, actress, singer, dancer and voice artist
- Tristan Lake Leabu, actor
- Marla Olmstead, artist
Deaths">:Category:2000 deaths">Deaths
January">Deaths in 2000#January 2000">January
- January 15 – Fran Ryan, actress
- January 25 – Herta Freitag, Austrian-born American mathematician
- January 26
- * Don Budge, tennis player
- * Don Ralke, music arranger
February">Deaths in 2000#February 2000">February
- February 4 – Phil Tonken, radio and television announcer
- February 7 – Big Pun, rapper
- February 8 – Derrick Thomas, American football player
- February 9
- * Beau Jack, boxer
- * Steve Furness, football player
- February 10
- * George Jackson, movie producer
- * Jim Varney, actor noted for his character, Ernest P. Worrell
- February 12
- * Newt Arnold, film director
- * Jalacy "Screamin' Jay" Hawkins, musician, died in Neuilly-sur-Seine, France
- * Tom Landry, American football coach
- * Charles M. Schulz, comic strip artist
- February 29 – Dennis Danell, musician
March">Deaths in 2000#March 2000">March
- March 10 – Barbara Cooney, author and illustrator
- March 14 – Tommy Collins, country musician.
- March 24 – Al Grey, American jazz trombonist.
April">Deaths in 2000#April 2000">April
- April 5 – Lee Petty, race car driver
- April 10 – Larry Linville, actor
- April 11 – Opaline Deveraux Wadkins, African American nurse educator
- April 25 – David Merrick, stage producer, died in London, United Kingdom
May">Deaths in 2000#May 2000">May
- May 8 – Henry Nicols, HIV/AIDS activist
- May 12 – Adam Petty, race car driver
- May 20 – Edward Bernds, director
- May 21 – Mark R. Hughes, businessman
- May 31 – John Coolidge, businessman and son of President Calvin Coolidge
June">Deaths in 2000#June 2000">June
- June 14 – Robert Trent Jones, British-born golf course designer, died in Fort Lauderdale, Florida
- June 15 – James Montgomery Boice, American pastor and theologian
- June 18 – Nancy Marchand, actress
- June 21 – Alan Hovhaness, composer
July">Deaths in 2000#July 2000">July
- July 1 – Walter Matthau, actor
- July 7 – James C. Quayle, newspaper publisher
- July 14 – Meredith MacRae, actress
- July 27 – Gordon Solie, wrestling commentator
August">Deaths in 2000#August 2000">August
- August 9
- * Bob Lido, musician
- * Lewis Wilson, actor
- August 12
- * Dave Edwards, musician
- * Loretta Young, actress
- August 25 – Carl Barks, cartoonist
September">Deaths in 2000#September 2000">September
- September 2
- * Elvera Sanchez, dancer
- * Jean Speegle Howard, actress
- September 3
- * R. H. Harris, American gospel singer
- * Walt Stanchfield, American animator
- September 4 – David Brown, American bass guitarist
- September 5 – George Musso, American football player and member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
- September 6 – Breanna Lynn Bartlett-Stewart, notable stillborn baby girl
- September 17 – Nicole Reinhart, cyclist
- September 26 – Carl Sigman, songwriter
October">Deaths in 2000#October 2000">October
- October 4 – George Huntston Williams, American theologian
- October 6 – Richard Farnsworth, American actor
- October 8 – Timothy P. Sheehan, American politician.
- October 16 – Mel Carnahan, American politician from Missouri
- October 22 – Rodney Anoa'i, wrestler, died in Liverpool, United Kingdom
- October 30 – Steve Allen, comedian, composer, talk show host, and author
November">Deaths in 2000#November 2000">November
- November 6 – L. Sprague de Camp, writer
- November 14 – Robert Trout, American journalist
- November 25 – Hugh Alexander, American baseball player and scout
- November 28
- * Robert Bentley, American animator
- * Henry B. Gonzalez, American politician
December">Deaths in 2000#December 2000">December
- December 3 – Gwendolyn Brooks, African American poet
- December 23 – Victor Borge, comedian, conductor and pianist
- December 24
- * Nick Massi, bass singer and bass guitarist for The Four Seasons
- * Laurence Chisholm Young, mathematician.
- December 25
- * Robert Francis Garner, Roman Catholic prelate.
- * Willard Van Orman Quine, philosopher
- December 26 – Jason Robards, actor.
- December 28 – Robert Williams, baseball player.
- December 29 – Adele Stimmel Chase, artist
- December 30 – Julius J. Epstein, screenwriter