Today in History

Historical Events

2013

Santiago de Compostela derailment. A high-speed train traveling from Madrid to Ferrol derailed on a curve killing 79 people and injuring over 100.

1977

The 4-day long Libyan-Egyptian War comes to an end. The border war began with thousands of Libyans marching towards Egypt's borders.

1959

Kitchen debate between Nixon and Khrushchev. A series of debates, now popularly called the kitchen debates, occurred between U.S. Vice President Nixon and Soviet Premier Khrushchev in Moscow. Nixon was visiting a house built as part of an exhibit in the American National Exhibition.

1923

The Treaty of Lausanne is signed between Turkey and the countries that formed the Allied Powers in the First World War. Under the treaty,Turkey had to give up all the territorial claims made by the Ottoman Empire and agree to new borders.

1911

Rediscovery of Machu Picchu. The 15th century, largely forgotten Inca site in Peru was rediscovered by American Hiram Bingham III.

Famous Births

Born on this day

Jennifer Lopez

Jennifer Lopez

1969

American actress, singer, dancer, businesswoman

Zelda Fitzgerald

Zelda Fitzgerald

1900

American author

Amelia Earhart

Amelia Earhart

1897

American pilot, author

Alexandre Dumas

Alexandre Dumas

1802

French writer

Simón Bolívar

Simón Bolívar

1783

Venezuelan commander

Famous Deaths

Died on this day

Robert Ledley

Robert Ledley

2012

American scientist, invented the full-body CT scanner

John Atta Mills

John Atta Mills

2012

Ghanaian politician, 3rd President of Ghana

Alex Higgins

Alex Higgins

2010

Irish snooker player

Peter Sellers

Peter Sellers

1980

English film actor, comedian, singer

Martin Van Buren

Martin Van Buren

1862

American politician, 8th President of the United States