Indira Gandhi was elected prime minister of India on this day in 1966.
It was on this day in 2001, upon leaving office, Bill Clinton admitted to hisfalse statements concerning his affair with Ms. Lewinsky.
Dolly Rebecca Parton Dean is 72 years young today.
Dolly Parton is the most honored female country performer of all time. Achieving 25 Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) certified Gold, Platinum, and Multi-Platinum awards, she has had 25 songs reach No. 1 on the Billboard country music charts, a record for a female artist (tied with Reba McEntire). She has 41 career top 10 country albums, a record for any artist, and she has 110 career charted singles over the past 40 years.
Nostradamus (Michel de Nostredame) (December 14, 1503 – July 2, 1566)
French poet, apothecary, and self-proclaimed prophet Nostradamus began publishing his predictions in 1555. His quatrains, whether truly prophetic or misinterpreted to be so, have attained a cult following through the centuries. Although mainstream media has claimed that he has predicted major historical events, historians argue that his apparent accuracy is due to poor translation and misinterpretation.
Communist East Germany opened its borders on this day in 1989, allowing its citizens to travel freely to West Germany.
On this day in 1938, Nazi troops and sympathizers destroyed and looted 7,500 Jewish businesses, burned 267 synagogues, killed 91 Jews, and rounded up over 25,000 Jewish men in an event that became known as Kristallnacht or "Night of Broken Glass."
The great Northeast blackout occurred on this day in 1965, as several states and parts of Canada were hit by a series of power failures lasting up to 13 1/2 hours.
Dylan Marlais Thomas (October 27, 1914 – November 9, 1953)
Thomas came to be appreciated as a popular poet during his lifetime, though he found earning a living as a writer difficult. He began augmenting his income with reading tours and radio broadcasts.
At the post-mortem, the pathologist found three causes of death – pneumonia, brain swelling and a fatty liver. Despite his heavy drinking his liver showed no sign of cirrhosis. He was only 39.
Arthur William Matthew "Art" Carney (November 4, 1918 – November 9, 2003)
On this day in 1962, U.S. Ambassador Adlai Stevenson (below) presented photographic evidence to the United Nations Security Council. The photos were of Soviet missile bases in Cuba.
Adlai Ewing Stevenson II (February 5, 1900 – July 14, 1965)
The U.N. General Assembly voted to expel Taiwan and admit mainland China on this day in 1971.
On this day in 1983, U.S. troops and soldiers from six Caribbean nations invaded Grenada to restore order and provide protection to U.S. citizens after a recent coup within Grenada’s Communist (pro-Cuban) government.
The Charge of the Light Brigade took place during the Crimean War on this day in 1854. The British were winning the Battle of Balaclava when Lord James Cardigan received an order to attack the Russians. He took his troops into a valley and suffered 40 percent caualties. Later it was revealed that the order was the result of confusion and was not given intentionally.
Professional Golfer Payne Stewart was the U.S.Open champion in 1991 and 1999. His chartered jet lost pressurization shortly after takeoff, then crashed several hours later. He was 42.
Learjet 35 N47BA Prior to the crash in a field near Aberdeen, South Dakota.
Poet and author Geoffrey Chaucer(1343 – October 25, 1400)