Jack Roosevelt Robinson
(January 31, 1919 – October 24, 1972)
On April 15, 1947, Jackie Robinson, age 28, become the first
African American player in Major League Baseball when he
stepped onto Ebbets Field in Brooklyn to compete for the
Brooklyn Dodgers.
On this day in 1859, Abolitionist John Brown led a raid on the federal arsenal at Harper’s Ferry, VA (now located in West Virginia). He was hoping to instigate a wider slave rebellion.
"John Brown’s Fort" at Harpers Ferry.
John Brown (May 9, 1800 – December 2, 1859)
On this day in 1987, Rescuers freed Jessica McClure from the abandoned well that she had fallen into in Midland, TX. She was trapped for 58 hours.
The amended Declaration of Independence, prepared by Thomas Jefferson, was approved and signed by John Hancock, the President of the Continental Congress in America on this day in 1776.
The U.S. Military Academy officially opened at West Point, NY. on this day in 1802.
Elian Gonzalez was reunited with his father on this day in 2000. He had to be taken from his Miami, FL. relatives by U.S. agents in a predawn raid (below).
Elián González turned 24 on December 6.
At noon on this day in 1889, the Oklahoma land rush officially began as thousands of Americans raced for new, unclaimed land.
The first "Earth Day" was observed by millions of Americans on this day in 1970.
John Joseph "Jack" Nicholson is 81 years old today.
On this day in 1948, U.S. President Truman signed executive orders that prohibited discrimination in the U.S. armed forces and federal employment.
Fidel Castro began his revolt on this day in 1953 against Fulgencio Batista with an unsuccessful attack on an army barracks in eastern Cuba. Castro eventually ousted Batista six years later.
Formerly the Moncada Army Barracks (above) now a school and museum in Santiago de Cuba, Cuba.
It was on this day in 1952.
Born on this day in 1856.
Sir Michael Philip Jagger is 74 years old today.
Mick Jagger is one of the most influential figures in the history of rock and roll as frontman of The Rolling Stones. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with the Stones in 1989. He met future Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards in primary school. He initially intended on going into politics or economics. In 2003, he was knighted.
Mick Jagger has appeared on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine over twenty times since 1968.