World Events Today
- The South African anti-apartheid activist Nelson Mandela was found guilty of sabotage and conspiracy today in 1964, he was sentenced to life imprisonment
- David Berkowitz, better known as the American serial killer Son of Sam, was sentenced to 25-years-to-life in prison today in 1978
- In a speech in West Berlin today in 1987, the United States President, Ronald Reagan, challenged the Soviet Union leader, Mikhail Gorbachev to, “Tear down this wall”
Entertainment Events Today
- Douglas Rolland won the 34th British Open Men’s Golf championship today in 1894, it was held at Royal Saint George’s Golf Club in England, the first time the competition was held outside of Scotland
- The epic historical drama movie Cleopatra, at the time the most expensive movie ever produced, was released today in 1963 in the United States
- In their first competitive match in a major football tournament, the Republic of Ireland beat England 1-0 today in 1988, in the UEFA European Football Championship
Family Events Today
- George H W Bush, who served as the 41st President of the United States, from 1989 to 1993, was born today in 1924 in Massachusetts
- Annelies Marie Frank, better known as the German-born Dutch-Jewish diarist Anne Frank, was born today in 1929
- The American mobster Henry Hill, who became an FBI informant and whose life was the basis of the hit movie Goodfellas, died today in 2012 aged 69
Main Event Today
- Frank Morris and the brothers John and Clarence Anglin made their famous escape from Alcatraz today in 1962, it is unknown to this day if they survived or not
National Day Today
- Today, it’s National Jerky Day