Today in History

Historical Events

1995

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.

1988

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.

1975

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.

1957

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).

1949

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

Wladimir Klitschko

1976

Ukrainian boxer

Elton John

Elton John

1947

English singer-songwriter, pianist, producer, actor

Aretha Franklin

Aretha Franklin

1942

American singer-songwriter, pianist

Norman Borlaug

Norman Borlaug

1914

American agronomist, humanitarian, Nobel Prize laureate

Arturo Toscanini

Arturo Toscanini

1867

Italian conductor

Famous Deaths

Died on this day

Buck Owens

Buck Owens

2006

American singer-songwriter, guitarist

Milton H. Erickson

Milton H. Erickson

1980

American psychiatrist

Ida B. Wells

Ida B. Wells

1931

American civil rights activist

Claude Debussy

Claude Debussy

1918

French composer

James Braid

James Braid

1860

Scottish surgeon