Today in History: Audrey Hepburn born in 1929 On this day in 1929, screen legend Audrey Hepburn (born Audrey Kathleen Ruston) was born in Brussels, Belgium. The British film and fashion icon was one of Hollywood's largest movie stars during…
Today in History: James Brown born in 1933 On this day in 1933, James Joseph Brown (May 3, 1933 – December 25, 2006), was born in Barnwell, South Carolina. The singer and songwriter was a major musical figure of 20th-century…
Today in History: Cap Arcona sunk in 1945 On this day in 1945, the German ship "Cap Arcona" laden with prisoners was sunk by the Royal Air Force in the East Sea. It is estimated that 5,800 people on board…
1931 Empire State Building dedicated in 1931 On this day in 1931, President Herbert Hoover officially dedicates New York City’s Empire State Building, pressing a button from the White House that turns on the building’s lights. Hoover’s gesture, of course,…
Today in History: 1939 New York World’s Fair On April 30, 1939, the New York World’s Fair opened its doors to the public. Using the motto “Building a World for Tomorrow,” the opening ceremony featured a speech by President Franklin…
Today is International Jazz Day! When Louis Armstrong was asked what the definition of jazz was, he famously replied, "If you've got to ask, you'll never know." Today is a worldwide day of celebration of jazz and its unique history.…
Today is Zipper Day From handbags and jackets to trousers and boots, it really is impossible to imagine life without zippers. They are so widespread it is easy to take them for granted. This is where Zipper Day comes along to remind…
Today in History: Beethoven composes “Für Elise” in 1810 “Bagatelle No. 25” (commonly known as "Für Elise", German for For Elise) for solo piano is one of the Ludwig van Beethoven's most popular works and one of the most recognized…
Today in History: Ukraine Chernobyl Nuclear Disaster in 1986 On this day in 1986, an explosion and fire at the No. 4 reactor of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in Ukraine resulted in a nuclear meltdown sending radioactivity into the…
Today in History: Herbert Matter born in 1907 On this day in 1907, The Swiss-born American photographer and graphic designer, Herbert Matter, was born. Matter studied art in Geneva and Paris and worked in France as a designer and photographer…