Today in History
Important Events
- 31 1st Easter, according to calendar-maker Dionysius Exiguus
- 1436 Florentine cathedral Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore with dome by Filippo Brunelleschi consecrated by Pope Eugene IV (begun 1296)
- 1807 British Parliament abolishes slave trade throughout the British Empire; penalty of £120 per slave introduced for ship captains
- 1895 Italian troops invade Abyssinia (Ethiopia)
- 1960 1st guided missile launched from nuclear powered sub (Halibut)
Today in Film & TV
- 1954 RCA manufactures 1st color TV set (12½" screen at $1,000)
Today in Music
- 1939 Billboard Magazine introduces hillbilly (country) music chart
Today in Sport
- 1934 1st Augusta National Invitation Tournament (Masters) Golf: Horton Smith wins with 20-foot birdie putt at the 17th hole, 1 stroke ahead of Craig Wood
Did You Know?
Swami Vivekananda initiates Margaret Noble (Sister Nivedita) into vow of Brahmacharya, first western woman received into Indian monastic order
On this day in 1898
Famous Birthdays
Jack Ruby
(1911 - 1967)- Aretha Franklin
(1942 - 2018) - Elton John
72nd Birthday
Jack Ruby
Aretha Franklin
Elton JohnTomorrow's Famous Birthdays
- Robert Frost
(1874 - 1963) - Tennessee Williams
(1911 - 1983) - Leonard Nimoy
(1931 - 2015)
Robert Frost
Tennessee Williams
Leonard NimoyWould You Believe?
RAF Flight Sgt Nicholas Alkemade survives a jump from his Lancaster bomber from 18,000 feet over Germany without a parachute; his fall broken by pine trees and soft snow, he suffers only a sprained leg
On this day in 1944
Famous Weddings
- 1734 William IV, Prince of Orange-Nassau marries princess Anne of Great Britain, eldest daughter of King George II at St. James' Palace
- 1795 2nd Earl of Liverpool Robert Jenkinson (25) weds daughter of the Earl of Bristol Lady Louisa Hervey at Wimbledon
- 1961 Playwright Samuel Beckett (54) weds Suzanne Dechevaux-Dumesnil on a secret civil ceremony in England
Famous Divorces
- 2005 American actress Jennifer Aniston (36) files for divorce from actor and film producer Brad Pitt (41) due to irreconcilable differences after 4 and a half years of marriage
Claude Debussy
Eddie Collins
Faisal of Saudia Arabia
James Hutton
Ludwig van Beethoven
Cecil RhodesThis Month in History
![John Manningham Notes the Passing of Queen Elizabeth I]()
John Manningham Notes the Passing of Queen Elizabeth I
John Manningham was an English lawyer and diarist who wrote this especially moving entry on the passing of Queen Elizabeth I.
March 24, 1603![Murder Most Foul in Olde England]()
Murder Most Foul in Olde England
Few murders were so horrific as the one that came to light on this day in history. And few punishments so grisly as that which befell Catherine Hayes.
March 26, 1726![Gucci Chief Falls Prey to the Black Widow]()
Gucci Chief Falls Prey to the Black Widow
The world of design and fashion was shocked when Maurizio Gucci was shot dead in 1995. His execution would lead to an even greater sensation three years later.
March 27, 1995![Albert's Monumental Legacy]()
Albert's Monumental Legacy
Architect George Gilbert Scott, who designed the Albert Memorial in honour of Queen Victoria's beloved husband, Prince Albert died on this day.
March 27, 1878
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