1917: Russia’s February Revolution Begins
On March 8, 1917, the female factory workers of Petrograd began striking and rioting in response to food shortages and government oppression. Other Petrograd...
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...
On This Day: Bodies of Three Civil Rights Workers Discovered in Mississippi
On Aug. 4, 1964, the bodies of missing civil rights volunteers Michael Schwerner, James Chaney and Andrew Goodman were discovered in a dam outside...
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...
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...
1981: John Hinckley Shoots President Reagan and James Brady
On March 30, 1981, President Ronald Reagan was shot in the chest by John Hinckley Jr., a college dropout hoping to impress actress Jodie...
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...
1962: Cuban Missile Crisis Begins
On Oct. 14, 1962, a United States spy plane spotted missile bases under construction in Cuba, touching off the two-week Cuban Missile Crisis.
Two Weeks...
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...
