Today in History

Historical Events

1969

A police raid of a gay tavern sparks a series of violent clashes. The Stonewall Riots in New York City marked the beginning of the gay rights movement in the United States. The Christopher Street Day, a yearly observance for Gay Pride in some European countries, is named after the bar's location.

1967

Israel annexes East Jerusalem. From Israel's point of view, the annexation effected the reunification of its capital city. However, the international community declared it illegal and views East Jerusalem as Palestinian territory occupied by Israel.

1939

The world's first scheduled transatlantic flight takes off. The Boeing 314 Clipper flying boat was operated by Pan Am. It took about 24 hours to reach Marseille, France. The scheduled service was soon discontinued again because of the outbreak of World War II.

1914

Austrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife Sophie are assassinated. Gavrilo Princip's attack effected a crisis among Europe's major powers (July Crisis). This ultimately triggered the First World War, which with over 37 million deaths was one of the bloodiest war of all time. Five years later to the day, the Treaty of Versailles formally ended the war.

1846

The saxophone is patented. Belgian musician Adolphe Sax developed the woodwind instrument typically made of brass, which in recent decades has heavily influenced the sound of the jazz, military band, rock, and pop musical genres.

Famous Births

Born on this day

Muhammad Yunus

Muhammad Yunus

1940

Bangladeshi economist, Nobel Prize laureate

Mel Brooks

Mel Brooks

1926

American actor, director, producer, writer

Jean-Jacques Rousseau

Jean-Jacques Rousseau

1712

Swiss philosopher, polymath

Peter Paul Rubens

Peter Paul Rubens

1577

Flemish painter

Henry VIII of England

Henry VIII of England

1491

Famous Deaths

Died on this day

Mortimer J. Adler

Mortimer J. Adler

2001

American philosopher, author

Terry Fox

Terry Fox

1981

Canadian athlete, activist

Rod Serling

Rod Serling

1975

American screenwriter, producer, created The Twilight Zone

Mickey Cochrane

Mickey Cochrane

1962

American baseball player, manager

James Madison

James Madison

1836

American politician, 4th President of the United States