Today in History

Historical Events

2012

Assassination Attempt on Malala Yousafzai. The Pakistani education activist was shot at and injured while going back home from school. Malala survived the attack and has since gone on to become one of the leading voices for the education of girls in the world. In 2014, at the age of 17, she received the Nobel Peace Prize along with Kailash Satyarthi, making her the youngest recipient of the prestigious award.

1986

Phantom of Opera makes its theatrical debut. The musical written by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Richard Stilgoe opened at Her Majesty's Theatre in London’s West End. The plot of the musical was inspired by French author Gaston Leroux's novel Le Fantôme de l'Opéra, which follows the life of Erik or the Phantom, a disfigured musical genius. The musical is the longest running show on Broadway.

1970

Khmer Republic established. The Khmer Republic was formally established under the leadership of General Lon Nol and Prince Sisowath Sirik Matak. These two leaders took power earlier in took power in a coup against Prince Norodom Sihanouk

1962

Ugandan independence. Uganda gained independence from British rule. The country had become a British protectorate in 1894, 32 years after the first European, British John Hanning Speke set foot in the country. Milton Obote became the first prime minister of an independent Uganda.

1874

General Postal Union Created. The precursor the Universal Postal Union, a specialized agency of the United Nations, was formed after 22 countries signed the Treaty of Bern. The treaty regulated international mail and postage. 4 years later, in 1878, the union changed its name to the Universal Postal Union to reflect the growing international membership of the group.

Famous Births

Born on this day

Annika Sörenstam

Annika Sörenstam

1970

Swedish golfer

PJ Harvey

PJ Harvey

1969

English singer-songwriter, guitarist, producer

David Cameron

David Cameron

1966

English politician, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom

John Lennon

John Lennon

1940

English singer-songwriter, musician, producer

Nikolai Bukharin

Nikolai Bukharin

1888

Russian politician

Famous Deaths

Died on this day

Jacques Derrida

Jacques Derrida

2004

French philosopher

Jacques Brel

Jacques Brel

1978

Belgian singer-songwriter, actor

Oskar Schindler

Oskar Schindler

1974

Czech/German businessman

Che Guevara

Che Guevara

1967

Argentine/Cuban physician, author, intellectual, diplomat, theorist

Pope Pius XII

Pope Pius XII

1958