Today in History
Historical Events
WikiWikiWeb, the world's first wiki, is launched. Ward Cunningham introduced the wiki, or user-editable website. Today, Wikipedia is the world's most well known and widely used wiki.
Thousands of people join the first peaceful demonstrations against the communist regime in Czechoslovakia. The Candle Demonstration was brutally dispersed by the Police but was the first step towards the Velvet Revolution that resulted in the establishment of democracy in the country.
King Faisal of Saudi Arabia is assassinated by his nephew. Despite the king's dying wish that the life of the assassin be spared, Faisal bin Musaid was publicly executed on June 18, 1975.
6 countries found the European Economic Community. The EEC's establishment was an important step towards European integration and the creation of the European Union (EU).
The Soviet Union begins deporting some 90,000 Estonians, Latvians, and Lithuanians to some of Russia's most inhospitable areas. Operation Priboi, also known as March deportation, was designed to weaken the Baltic nationalist movement. Most of the deportees, labeled “enemies of the people” by the Soviet authorities, were women and children.
Famous Births
Born on this day

Wladimir Klitschko
1976
Ukrainian boxer

Elton John
1947
English singer-songwriter, pianist, producer, actor

Aretha Franklin
1942
American singer-songwriter, pianist

Norman Borlaug
1914
American agronomist, humanitarian, Nobel Prize laureate

Arturo Toscanini
1867
Italian conductor
Famous Deaths
Died on this day

Buck Owens
2006
American singer-songwriter, guitarist

Milton H. Erickson
1980
American psychiatrist

Ida B. Wells
1931
American civil rights activist

Claude Debussy
1918
French composer

James Braid
1860
Scottish surgeon