Today in History

Historical Events

1995

OJ Simpson acquitted in the killings of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Lyle Goldman. The former football player had been accused of murdering his ex-wife and her friend on June 13, 1994. The high profile case and the subsequent trial of Simpson captured widespread media and public attention in the United States and around the world.

1952

UK tests its first atomic bomb. Called Operation Hurricane the test was conducted near the Montebello Islands in Western Australia. The operation made the UK the third country to have nuclear weapons, the United States and the Soviet Union were the first two.

1932

Iraq gains independence from the United Kingdom. The West Asian country came under British control in 1920, after the end of the First World War. After taking control of the country, the British installed the deposed Syrian King Faisal I as the King of Iraq.

1863

National Thanksgiving Day proclamation. American president Abraham Lincoln proclaimed the last Thursday of November as Thanksgiving Day. The holiday has been celebrated annually since that year.

1849

Edgar Allen Poe seen in public for the last time. The Baltimore, Maryland-based American poet and author, best known for his poem The Raven was found sick and delirious on the streets and taken to Washington College Hospital, where he died a few days later. He was 40 years old at the time of his death.

Famous Births

Born on this day

Ashlee Simpson

Ashlee Simpson

1984

American singer-songwriter, actress

Gwen Stefani

Gwen Stefani

1969

American singer-songwriter, actress, fashion designer

Al Sharpton

Al Sharpton

1954

American minister, talk show host, activist

Stevie Ray Vaughan

Stevie Ray Vaughan

1954

American singer-songwriter, guitarist, producer

Gore Vidal

Gore Vidal

1925

American author, screenwriter, actor

Famous Deaths

Died on this day

Ronnie Barker

Ronnie Barker

2005

English comedian, actor

Woody Guthrie

Woody Guthrie

1967

American singer-songwriter, musician

Carl Nielsen

Carl Nielsen

1931

Danish violinist, composer, conductor

William Morris

William Morris

1896

English poet, designer

Francis of Assisi

Francis of Assisi

1226

Italian friar, saint