April 2024 – Historic Moments Today

April 8th: Pablo Picasso Passed Away At Age 91

8Apr

By Professor Gregory J. Hayes, Ph.D. in Art HistoryNo Comments

April 8th: Pablo Picasso Passed Away At Age 91

What Happened On April 8th? On April 8th, 1973, nestled amidst the rolling hills of Mougins, France, one of the greatest artists of all time had his final moments. In his beloved Notre Dame de Vie residence, Pablo Picasso, the titan of 20th-century art, took his final breaths at the age of 91. Despite his advanced age, Picasso remained remarkably active in the days leading up to his passing. Accounts suggest he actually continued to work on new pieces, and that his artistic spirit seemed un-phased by time. However, it was only a matter of time before his health had begun to decline, and he was no longer able to venture out of his home. His Passing Sunday, April 8th, was a quiet one. Picasso spent his final hours surrounded by his loved ones, including his second wife, Jacque...

April 7th: 159 Lives Taken In Attack On Scandinavian Star

7Apr

By Dr. Charles E. Whitman, Jr., Historian at LargeNo Comments

World History

April 7th: 159 Lives Taken In Attack On Scandinavian Star

What Happened On April 7th? On April 7th, 1990, aboard the passenger ferry MS Scandinavian Star, passengers found themselves desperate and struggling for survival. Due to a devastating fire ripping through the vessel, a tragedy ultimately claimed the lives of 159 people. But who do it and how? For years, we were left with unanswered questions and profound grief. The Ferry Had Past Issues Built in 1971, the ferry had a checkered past, plagued by smaller fires throughout its service history. These incidents, however, were not widely known to the public. Furthermore, concerns regarding the ship's fire safety measures and overall maintenance had been raised, but seemingly ignored. Some of the most overlooked tragedies come from safety precautions. Just 5 years later, another 159 l...

April 6th: The U.S. Declared War On Germany In World War I

6Apr

By Dr. Charles E. Whitman, Jr., Historian at LargeNo Comments

U.S. History

April 6th: The U.S. Declared War On Germany In World War I

What Happened On April 6th? Pre-war America came to an end on April 6th, 1917 when President Woodrow Wilson stood before a joint session of Congress. Delivering a famous speech, he declared war on Germany, formally dragging the United States into the bloody conflict raging across Europe. However, simmering tensions and shifting public opinion ultimately pushed America to abandon its initial stance of neutrality. The Great War, as it was known then, had begun in 1914, embroiling European powers in a brutal struggle. Initially, President Wilson, a staunch believer in neutrality, advocated for America to remain uninvolved. He believed the U.S. could serve as a mediator, promoting peace and democracy. However, public opinion in America remained divided. While some citizens supporte...

April 5th: Jacob Roggeveen Landed Upon Easter Island

5Apr

By Professor Mei X. Chen, M.A., Literature ScholarNo Comments

Arts & Culture

April 5th: Jacob Roggeveen Landed Upon Easter Island

What Happened On April 5th? Easter Island, a speck of volcanic rock adrift in the South Pacific Ocean, has intrigued imaginations for centuries. More specifically, the colossal, enigmatic statues on the island – the moai – have fueled theories of lost civilizations and extraterrestrial intervention. However, the island's true history remained a mystery until April 5th, 1722, when European explorers found the isolated paradise. Now, Dutch explorer Jacob Roggeveen wasn't specifically searching for Easter Island. Rather, he was leading a squadron of three ships on a chartered mission for the Dutch East India Company, tasked with finding a rumored continent south of South America. Lost and running low on supplies, Roggeveen and his crew veered off course, their instruments failing t...

April 4th: Martin Luther King Jr. Assassinated By James Earl Ray

4Apr

By Dr. Sylvia K. Crawford, MA in JournalismNo Comments

U.S. History

April 4th: Martin Luther King Jr. Assassinated By James Earl Ray

What Happened On April 4th? Tension hung heavy over Memphis, Tennessee on April 4th, 1968. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., the Baptist minister and civil rights leader who had become the face of the movement for racial equality in America, was there leading a sanitation workers' strike. Exhausted but determined, Dr. King had just delivered a powerful speech the night before, now known as the "I've Been to the Mountaintop" address, expressing both hope for the future and a chilling premonition of his own mortality. Little did anyone know, the tragedy was just around the corner. Intriguingly, Dr. King himself seemed to foreshadow his own demise. In that same iconic speech, he delivered a message tinged with an air of finality. He spoke of having "seen the Promised Land," yet conceded...

April 3rd: 22,000 Polish Prisoners Executed In A Secluded Forest

3Apr

By Dr. Charles E. Whitman, Jr., Historian at LargeNo Comments

World History

April 3rd: 22,000 Polish Prisoners Executed In A Secluded Forest

What Happened On April 3rd? April 3rd of 1940 held an unsettling stillness in Katyn Forest, near Smolensk, in what was then the Soviet Union. However, this tranquility was shattered. Over a period of weeks, Soviet troops systematically executed nearly 22,000 Polish nationals, solidifying the Katyn Massacre as one of the worst atrocities committed against prisoners of war in recorded history. In order to accurately understand the tragedy of Katyn, we need to rewind to September 17th, 1939. Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union had signed a secret non-aggression pact, effectively carving up Eastern Europe. When Germany invaded Poland on September 1st, the Soviets followed suit two weeks later, seizing the eastern half of the country. Tens of thousands of Polish soldiers, caught off guard ...

April 2nd: The U.S. Dollar Established With The Mint Act

2Apr

By Professor Mei X. Chen, M.A., Literature ScholarNo Comments

U.S. History

April 2nd: The U.S. Dollar Established With The Mint Act

What Happened On April 2nd? Having emerged victorious from the Revolutionary War, the United States now faced a new challenge: rebuilding the economy. More specifically, the nation was in need of a stable and unified currency. So, on April 2nd, 1792, this challenge was addressed with the passage of the Coinage Act. In turn, the legislation not only created the United States Mint, but also introduced the dollar as the nation's official currency. How The Founding Fathers Played A Role The Coinage Act wasn't born out of thin air. Founding Fathers like Alexander Hamilton, the first Secretary of the Treasury, recognized the importance of a standardized currency for a burgeoning nation. Hamilton, a champion of a strong federal government, envisioned the dollar as a symbol of unity and ...

April 1st: Jobs & Wozniak Brought Apple Inc. To The World

1Apr

By Dr. Sylvia K. Crawford, MA in JournalismNo Comments

Science & Industry

April 1st: Jobs & Wozniak Brought Apple Inc. To The World

What Happened On April 1st? On April 1st, 1976 in Los Altos, California, technology itself was about to shift to a whole new gear. This was the humble beginning of Apple Computer Co., the company that would become Apple Inc., the iconic tech giant we know today. Fueled by the vision of two college dropouts, Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak, Apple set out to revolutionize the way people interacted with computers. Did You Know? Did you know the original Apple logo featured Sir Isaac Newton sitting under an apple tree? Thankfully, Jobs and Wozniak opted for a simpler, cleaner design we recognize today! Not only that, Apple almost went with the name "Apple Computer" but ultimately settled on the shorter, more impactful "Apple Inc." Steve Jobs, known for his charisma and keen eye for...