1911: Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire Kills 146
On March 25, 1911, a fire at New York City’s crowded, unsafe Triangle Shirtwaist Factory killed 146 workers. Public outrage over the incident galvanized...
1959: Buddy Holly Killed in Plane Crash on “The Day the Music Died”
On February 3, 1959, Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and the Big Bopper died in a plane crash. The day would be immortalized as “The...
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...
1960: Greensboro Lunch Counter Sit-ins Begin
On February 1, 1960, four black college students refused to leave a lunch counter where they were denied service, sparking a wave of sit-in...
On This Day: Charles Whitman Carries Out Sniper Attack From University of Texas Tower
Charles Whitman had been a model citizen before the rampage. One of the youngest Boy Scouts ever to earn Eagle Scout honors, he joined...
1461: Edward IV Deposes Henry VI in Wars of the Roses
On March 4, 1461, Edward, Duke of York, was crowned king of England, ending 62 years of Lancastrian rule. The Yorkists would rule England...
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...
1949: “Axis Sally” Convicted of Treason
On March 10, 1949, a jury found American-born Nazi propagandist Mildred E. Gillars, the radio broadcaster known as “Axis Sally,” guilty of treason.
“Axis Sally”...
1990: Nelson Mandela Released From Prison
On February 11, 1990, South African President Frederik Willem de Klerk freed anti-apartheid activist Nelson Mandela. Mandela had spent 27 years in prison.
Mandela Goes...
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...
