Actress Marilyn Monroe(Norma Jeane Mortenson) (June 1, 1926 – August 5, 1962)
On Bedloe’s Island in New York Harbor on this day in 1884, the cornerstone for the Statue of Liberty was laid.
On this day in 1957, American Bandstand made its network debut on ABC-TV. The show was hosted by Dick Clark. Until this day the show had been a local show in Philadelphia since 1952.
From left: singer Paul Anka and Bandstand host Dick Clark
MIDDLETOWN, Conn. (AP) — A new monument in Connecticut honors service animals — with a statue of one of the nation’s most famous war dogs.
The sculpture, "Stubby Salutes," was unveiled Saturday in Veterans Memorial Park in Middletown.
SGT Stubby was a Boston-terrier mix that traveled to Europe with the U.S. Army’s renown 26th "Yankee Division" during World War I.
Stubby became famous for warning soldiers of incoming gas attacks and locating wounded soldiers on the battlefield, staying with them until help arrived.
His story was the subject of a major animated movie last month, "Sgt. Stubby: An American Hero."
The new bronze sculpture, created by artist Susan Bahary, is the culmination of a three-decade effort to create a memorial, spearheaded by the family of Robert Conroy, the army corporal who adopted Stubby during training.
Monument honoring famous WWI war dog SGT Stubby is dedicated.
At Appomattox Court House, Virginia on this day in 1865, General Robert E. Lee surrendered his Confederate Army to Union General Ulysses S. Grant in the parlor of Wilmer McClean’s home. Grant allowed Rebel officers to keep their side arms and permitted soldiers to keep their horses and mules. Though there were still Confederate armies in the field, the war was officially over. The four years of fighting had killed 360,000 Union troops and 260,000 Confederate troops.
On this day in 2003, Saddam Hussein’s statue is toppled in Baghdad.
NASA announced the selection of America’s first seven astronauts on this day in 1959.
On this day in 1939, Marian Anderson sang a landmark 1939 concert at the Lincoln Memorial, and blazed a trail for other black classical singers.
More than 75,000 people come to the Lincoln Memorial on that Easter Sunday to hear Anderson. She had been scheduled to sing at Washington’s Constitution Hall, but the Daughters of the American Revolution, a political organization that helped manage the concert hall, denied her the right to perform because of her race. Instead, and at the urging of Eleanor Roosevelt who had resigned the DAR in protest of their decision, Marian performed a free open air-concert at the Lincoln Memorial.
Marian Anderson(February 27, 1897 – April 8, 1993)
Britain’s Prince Charles with his wife Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall acknowledges the crowd at St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle in England following their wedding on this day in 2005.
The Statue of Liberty was dedicated in New York Harbor on this day in1886 by U.S. President Cleveland. The statue weighs 225 tons and is 152 feet tall. It was originally known as "Liberty Enlightening the World."
Benito Mussolini took control of the Italian government and introduced fascism to Italy on this day in 1922.
On this day in 1962, Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev informed the U.S. that he had ordered the dismantling of Soviet missile bases in Cuba.
Microsoft co-founder William Henry Gates III is 62 years old today.
Bill Gates has helped Microsoft become one of the most successful companies in history. Forbes ranked him the wealthiest person in the world from 1995 to 2009.
He reportedly hacked into his high school’s computer system to make sure there would be more girls in his classes than boys.
Julia Fiona Roberts is 50 years young today.
Julie Roberts rose to fame as the star of Pretty Woman (1990) and won an Oscar for her role in Erin Brockovich in 2000. She wanted to be a veterinarian, but she ended up signing with Click Modeling Agency in New York.
Elvis Presley made his first appearance on the Ed Sullivan show "Toast of the Town” on this day in 1956. He was shot from just the waist up during the performance. Elvis would make a total of three appearances on the CBS-TV show.
Otis Ray Redding Jr.(September 9, 1941 – December 10, 1967)
Singer/songwriter Otis Redding was born on this day in 1941. His hit "(Sitting on) The Dock of the Bay" was recorded three days before he was killed in a plane crash in 1967.
He sang for the Macon radio station WIBB every Sunday for six dollars. He had his own band called Otis and the Shooters. Otis Redding is considered the King of Soul and influenced many groups, such as The Beatles, The Doors, and Led Zeppelin.
