Today in History

Today in History

30 BC Cleopatra VII, Queen of Egypt, commits suicide.

1099 At the Battle of Ascalon 1,000 Crusaders, led by Godfrey of Bouillon, route an Egyptian relief column heading for Jerusalem, which had already fallen to the Crusaders.

1687 At the Battle of Mohacs, Hungary, Charles of Lorraine defeats the Turks.

1762 The British capture Cuba from Spain after a two month siege.

1791 Black slaves on the island of Santo Domingo rise up against their white masters.

1812 British commander the Duke of Wellington occupies Madrid, Spain, forcing out Joseph Bonaparte.

1863 Confederate raider William Quantrill leads a massacre of 150 men and boys in Lawrence, Kansas.

1864 After a week of heavy raiding, the Confederate cruiser Tallahassee claims six Union ships captured.

1896 Gold is discovered near Dawson City, Yukon Territory, Canada. After word reaches the United States in June of 1897, thousands of Americans head to the Klondike to seek their fortunes.

1898 The Spanish American War officially ends after three months and 22 days of hostilities.

1908 Henry Ford‘s first Model T rolls off the assembly line.

1922 The home of Frederick Douglass in Washington, D.C. is dedicated as a memorial.

1935 President Franklin Roosevelt signs the Social Security Bill.

1941 French Marshal Henri Philippe Petain announces full French collaboration with Nazi Germany.

1961 The erection of the Berlin Wall begins, preventing access between East and West Germany.

1969 American installations at Quan-Loi, Vietnam, come under Viet Cong attack.

1972 As U.S. troops leave Vietnam, B-52’s make their largest strike of the war.

1977 Steven Biko, leader of the black consciousness movement in South Africa, is arrested.

1977 Space shuttle Enterprise makes its first free flight and landing.

1978 Tel al-Zaatar massacre at Palestinian refuge camp during Lebanese Civil War.

1979 Massive book burnings by press censors begin in Iran.

1981 Computer giant IBM introduces its first personal computer.

1985 Highest in-flight death toll as 520 die when Japan Airlines Flight 123 crashes into Mount Takamagahara.

1992 The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) is concluded between the United States, Canada and Mexico, creating the world’s wealthiest trade bloc.

2000 Russian Navy submarine K-141 Kursk explodes and sinks with all hands during military exercises in the Barents Sea.

2005 An LTTE (Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam) sniper mortally wounds Sri Lanka’s foreign minister, Lakshman Kadirgamar, at the minister’s home.

2012 Summer Olympics come to a close in London.

Born

1762 George IV, named Prince Regent in 1810 when his father, George III, is declared insane.

1774 Robert Southey, English poet laureate (1813-

1843).

1781 Robert Mills, architect and engineer whose designs include the Washington Monument, the National Portrait Gallery and the U.S. Treasury Building.

1859 Katherine Bates, composer of “America the Beautiful.”

1881 Cecil B. DeMille, American film director, producer and screenwriter, famous for epic productions.

1889 Zerna Sharp, creator and co-author, with William S. Gray, of the Dick and Jane reading primer series.

1911 Cantinflas, Mexican circus clown, acrobat and actor.

1925 Norris and Ross McWhirter, wrote and updated Guinness Book of World Records, 1955–1975; following Ross’ assassination by the IRA, Norris continued writing and updating the Guinness Book until 1985.

1927 Ralph Waite, actor (The Waltons, Roots).

1927 Porter Wagoner, country singer, TV show host.

1929 Buck Owens, country singer, a leader in establishing the “Bakersfield Sound.”.

1936 Vice-Admiral John Poindexter, Security Adviser to Pres. Ronald Reagan (Dec 1985–Nov 1986); convicted on 5 felonies arising from the Iran/Contra affair, but the convictions were overturned on appeal.

History