Today in History

Historical Events

2011

STS-135 lands. This space shuttle was the 135th and the last space shuttle flight of American Space Shuttle program.

1983

Lowest temperature ever measured on Earth. Vostok Station, a Russian station on Antarctica experienced the lowest temperatures ever measured in recorded human history. The temperatures fell to −128.6 °F (−89.2 °C)

1980

Mary Eugenia Charles is elected as PM of Dominica. Her election to office made her the first female and the longest PM of the Commonwealth of Dominica. She is also the first elected female head of state in the Americas.

1977

Libyan–Egyptian War begins. This short war between Libya and Egypt started with Libya striking Egyptian cities. The war lasted for 2 days with a ceasefire on July 24.

1969

First person walks on the Moon. Neil Armstrong became the first person to walk on the Moon. He stepped on the Moon's surface almost 7 hours after Apollo 11, the space craft that carried them, landed on the Sea of Traquility on the Moon. After stepping on the Moon, Armstrong uttered his famous words, "one small step for [a] man, one giant leap for mankind."

Famous Births

Born on this day

Cat Stevens

Cat Stevens

1948

English singer-songwriter, musician

Ken Starr

Ken Starr

1946

American lawyer, judge

Marshall Mc

Marshall Mc

1911

LuhanCanadian author, theorist

Ernest Hemingway

Ernest Hemingway

1899

American writer, Nobel Prize laureate

Thomas Pelham-Holles, 1st Duke of Newcastle

Thomas Pelham-Holles, 1st Duke of Newcastle

1693

English politician, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom

Famous Deaths

Died on this day

Jerry Goldsmith

Jerry Goldsmith

2004

American composer, conductor

Sivaji Ganesan

Sivaji Ganesan

2001

Indian actor

Dave Garroway

Dave Garroway

1982

American journalist

Claus von Stauffenberg

Claus von Stauffenberg

1944

German army officer, member of the 20 July plot

Robert Burns

Robert Burns

1796

Scottish poet