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...
1965: Malcolm X Assassinated
On February 21, 1965, Malcolm X, a former Nation of Islam leader, was assassinated by Black Muslims in New York.
Malcolm X Shot Dead in...
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...
1820: The “Mayflower of Liberia” Sets Sail
On February 6, 1820, a ship of freed black slaves set sail from New York for the coast of West Africa, where they would...
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...
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...
1938: “Kristallnacht” Attacks Mark Unofficial Start of Holocaust
On Nov. 9, 1938, Nazi storm troopers launched a coordinated attack against Jewish communities, destroying property and shipping thousands to concentration camps.
“Night of Broken...
1964: Muhammad Ali Wins Heavyweight Title
On February 25, 1964, 22-year-old Cassius Clay became the world heavyweight boxing champion, defeating Sonny Liston in an upset.
“I Shook Up the World”
Muhammad Ali,...
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...
1974: Heiress Patty Hearst Kidnapped
On February 4, 1974, members of the Symbionese Liberation Army kidnapped Patty Hearst, 19, granddaughter of newspaper mogul William Randolph Hearst. After months of...
