ED DONAHUE

The world’s worst nuclear disaster to date occurred at Chernobyl, in Kiev
on this day in 1986.. Thirty-one people died in the incident and thousands
more were exposed to radioactive material.

SANDY KOZEL

On this day in 1912, the ocean liner Titanic sank in the North Atlantic after hitting an iceberg the evening before. 1,517 people died and
more than 700 people survived.

Lifeboat 6 from the Titanic, as it approached the Carpathian
on the morning of April 15, 1912.

On this day in 1865, President Abraham Lincoln died from injuries inflicted by John Wilkes Booth.

The above photograph was taken by Petersen House
boarder Julius Ulke shortly after the president died in
this bed. (Source: Chicago History Museum)

SANDY KOZEL

Maya Angelou (Marguerite Annie Johnson)  
(April 4, 1928 – May 28, 2014)

An African-American poet and author, Maya Angelou is
known for her 1969 autobiography I Know Why the Caged
Bird Sings, as well as for her poem "On the Pulse of
Morning." Her 1971 poetry collection, Just Give Me a Cool
Drink of Water ‘fore I Diiie, was nominated for the Pulitzer
Prize. She was mute for five years as the result of trauma
and, during this period, developed her lifelong love of
literature.

MIKE GRACIA

Quentin Jerome Tarantino is 56 years old today.

Director, producer, and screenwriter Quentin Tarantino first
received acclaim for his 1990s crime films Reservoir Dogs, 
Pulp Fiction and Jackie Brown. He later went on to direct the
action films Kill Bill: Volume 1, Kill Bill: Volume 2, Inglourious
Basterds and Django Unchained. He dropped out of Narbonne
High School his freshman year to go to acting school.

SANDY KOZEL

On this day in 44 BC, the assassination of Roman Emperor Julius
Caesar by many high ranking Roman Senators. The day is known 
as the "Ides of March."
 

A marble bust of Julius Caesar.

On this day in 1956, the Lerner and Loewe musical
"My Fair Lady" opened on Broadway.

Composer Frederick Loewe, left, and
lyricist Alan Jay Lerner, right.

The ballroom scene.