CAMILLE BOHANNON

Robert Plant is best known as the lead singer and lyricist of the
English rock band Led Zeppelin for all of its existence from 1968
until 1980, when the band broke up following the death of John
Bonham, the band’s drummer. He was inducted with the band
into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1995.

In 2008, Rolling Stone editors ranked him number 15 on their
list of the 100 best singers of all time. In 2011, Rolling Stone
readers ranked Plant the greatest of all lead singers. In 2006,
Hit Parader magazine named Plant the "Greatest Metal Vocalist
of All Time".           

In 2009, Plant was voted "the greatest voice in rock" in a poll
conducted by Planet Rock. Plant is 74 years old today.

MIKE GRACIA

On this day in 1789, the French Revolution began when Parisians
stormed the Bastille prison and released seven prisoners inside.

Outlaw “Billy The Kid” (William H. Bonney) was gunned
down by Sheriff Pat Garrett (below) on this day in 1881.

Richard Benjamin Speck (December 6, 1941 – December 5, 1991)

Richard Speck murdered student nurses in Chicago (below) on the night’s
of July 13–14, 1966.

Guarded by detectives, Corazon Amurao arrives at the courthouse in Peoria to testify as the state’s chief witness against mass murderer
Richard Speck on April 5, 1967.

The American space probe Mariner 4 flew by Mars, and sent back photographs of the planet (below) on this day in 1965.

Woodrow Wilson Guthrie (July 14, 1912 – October 3, 1967)

singer-songwriter Woody Guthrie was one of the most significant figures
in American folk music; his songs, including social justice songs, such
as "This Land Is Your Land", have inspired several generations both
politically and musically. He wrote hundreds of political, folk, and
children’s songs, along with ballads and improvised works.

Guthrie died of complications of Huntington’s disease on October 3,
1967. By the time of his death, his work had been discovered by a
new audience, introduced to them through Dylan, Pete Seeger,
Ramblin’ Jack Elliott, his ex-wife Marjorie and other new members
of the folk revival, and his son Arlo (below).

CAMILLE BOHANNON

Edward White became the first American astronaut to do a "space
walk" when he left the Gemini 4 capsule on this day in 1965.

Ed White floats beside Gemini IV, with the Gulf of California behind
him.

Edward Higgins White II (November 14, 1930 – January 27, 1967)

Ayatollah (Sayyid Ruhollah Mūsavi) Khomeini
(September 24, 1902 – June 3, 1989)

Pope John XXIII  (Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli)
(November 25, 1881 – June 3, 1963)  

The Duke of Windsor, who had abdicated the British throne, married Wallis Warfield Simpson on this day in 1937. The Duke died on May
28, 1972 at age 77.

Irwin Allen Ginsberg (June 3, 1926 – April 5, 1997)

Allen Ginsberg was an American poet, philosopher, and
writer. He is considered to be one of the leading figures
of both the Beat Generation during the 1950s and the
counterculture that soon followed. Ginsberg vigorously
opposed militarism, economic materialism and sexual
repression.

Josephine Baker (Freda Josephine McDonald)
(June 3, 1906 – April 12, 1975)  

Dancer and entertainer Josephine Baker was known as "Black
Pearl" and "Creole Goddess" and widely recognized by her
Danse banana costume. She was activist in the Civil Rights
Movement, and adopted a "Rainbow Tribe" of orphans from
various races.
 

On this day in 1974, Mariner 10, the U.S. space probe became the
first spacecraft to reach the planet Mercury. It had been launched
on November 3, 1973. Mariner 10 was the first spacecraft to return
high-resolution digital color images.

A photomosaic of Mercury images taken by Mariner 10, tinted to approximate the appearance of Mercury.