1972: Nixon Leaves for China
On February 17, 1972, President Richard Nixon embarked on a diplomatic mission to normalize relations with the People’s Republic of China.
Meeting Sets Stage for...
1857: Supreme Court Rules Against Dred Scott
On March 6, 1857, the Supreme Court ruled against Dred Scott, a slave who sued for freedom after spending time in free territory. The...
1960: South African Police Open Fire on Crowd in Sharpeville Massacre
On March 21, 1960, South African police fired into a crowd of black protesters who had surrounded a police station in Sharpeville, killing 69...
1974: Russian Dissident Writer Alexander Solzhenitsyn Charged With Treason
On February 14, 1974, Alexander Solzhenitsyn, the Russian writer who revealed the horrors of the Soviet gulag, was charged with treason a day after...
1770: British Soldiers Kill 5 in “Boston Massacre”
On March 5, 1770, British soldiers stationed in Boston fired on a crowd of hecklers, killing five and wounding others.
British Soldiers Open Fire on...
1937: Gas Leak Causes New London School Explosion
On March 18, 1937, the worst school disaster in American history occurred when a gas explosion killed nearly 300 schoolchildren in Texas.
Gas Explosion Destroys...
1898: USS Maine Explodes in Havana Harbor
On February 15, 1898, the U.S. battleship Maine blew up in Havana Harbor, escalating tensions with Spain and contributing to the outbreak of the...
2002: The Trial of Slobodan Milosevic Begins
On February 12, 2002, the war crimes trial of Serb leader Slobodan Milosevic began at The Hague. The defendant died before a sentence was...
Eurotunnel Connects Britain and France
On Dec. 1, 1990, British and French construction workers joined the two halves of the Eurotunnel, physically linking Britain and France for the first...
