World Events Today
- The American aviator Harriet Quimby, the first woman to gain a pilot’s license in the United States, became the first woman to fly across the English Channel today in 1912
- Two giant pandas arrived in Washington DC today in 1972, they were gifts from the Chinese government, following President Richard Nixon’s visit earlier in the year
- The Virginia Tech shooting, a massacre in which 32 people were killed and another 17 were wounded, occurred today in 2007
Entertainment Events Today
- The Rolling Stones, the debut album by the English rock band the Rolling Stones, was released in the United Kingdom today in 1964
- The American tennis player Arthur Ashe, who won three Grand Slam singles titles, announced his retirement today in 1980
- Michael Jordan, considered the greatest basketball player of all time, played his final NBA game today in 2003
Family Events Today
- Anna Maria Marie Tussaud, founder of the Madame Tussauds Wax Museum in London, died today in 1850 aged 88
- The American aviator Wilbur Wright, the elder of the Wright brothers flying duo, was born today in 1867 in Indiana
- The British comic actor and filmmaker Charlie Chaplin KBE, considered one of the most important figures in the history of the movie industry, was born today in 1889
Main Event Today
- The Royal Yacht Britannia, the former yacht of Queen Elizabeth II, was launched today in 1953, it is now berthed in Edinburgh and serves as a tourist attraction
National Day Today
- Today, it’s National Wear Your Pajamas to Work Day