It is 9:30 p.m. Houston time on July 20, 1969. Armstrong and Aldrin put on their moon suits and prepare to take the first steps on the moon. Armstrong is the first to step out of the Eagle.

He lowers a small drawbridge that holds a TV camera. Now the World can watch as he backs down the ladder. Back on the home planet, 600 million people watch on television. He touches the moon’s surface and says:

That’s one small step for man … one giant leap for mankind.

Aldrin climbs out next. He and Armstrong struggle to plant an American flag on the moon’s surface. They get it standing, barely, and take pictures. President Nixon calls and congratulates them.

After about two hours, Aldrin and Armstrong crawl back into the Eagle. After less than a day on the lunar surface, it is time to go. Dust blows everywhere.

The moonwalk is a dance move in which the dancer moves backwards while seemingly walking forwards. Formerly known as the ‘backslide’, the moonwalk is a popping move.

In 1955, it was recorded in a performance by tap dancer Bill Bailey. He performs a tap routine, and at the end, backslides into the wings.

It became popular around the World following Michael Jackson’s moonwalk during the performance of ‘Billie Jean’, which was broadcast on May 16, 1983.

Michael Jackson has been credited as renaming the ‘backslide’ to the moonwalk and it became his signature move.