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...

On This Day: President Nixon Resigns

On Aug. 8, 1974, President Richard Nixon, facing impeachment charges for his role in the Watergate Hotel break-in, announced his resignation. The Watergate Scandal At 2:30...

1977: 583 Killed as 747s Collide on Tenerife Runway

On March 27, 1977, two 747 airliners collided on a runway in the Canary Island of Tenerife, killing 583 people, more than any plane...

1633: Galileo Faces Inquisition

On February 13, 1633, Galileo arrived in Rome to be tried for promoting Copernican theories, such as the revolutionary idea that the Earth orbits...
Saddam Hussein

On This Day: Iraq Invades Kuwait, Leading to Persian Gulf War

On Aug. 2, 1990, Iraqi soldiers invaded the Gulf state of Kuwait in the early morning hours, precipitating the start of the Persian Gulf...

1954: Puerto Rican Nationalists Launch Assault on U.S. Congress

On March 1, 1954, Puerto Rican nationalists opened fire on the House of Representatives, injuring five congressmen. Nationalists Attack Congress Three members of the Puerto Rico...

1850: Daniel Webster Endorses Compromise of 1850 in 3-Hour Speech

On March 7, 1850, United States nationalist and statesman Daniel Webster delivered a three-hour speech on the issue of states’ rights to permit slavery....

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...

1964: Kitty Genovese Killed

On March 13, 1964, Kitty Genovese was murdered in Queens, New York. An article that said 38 people ignored her screams during the attack...