World Events Today
- The Dutch explorer Abel Janszoon Tasman sighted the west coast of Tasmania today in 1642, he named it Van Diemen’s Land but it was later changed, in his honour, to Tasmania
- Lee Harvey Oswald, who 2 days previously had been accused of assassinating the United States President, John F Kennedy, was shot today in 1963, by Jack Ruby
- Apollo 12 landed back on Earth today in 1969, it had just completed the second successful mission to put men on the Moon
Entertainment Events Today
- Black Beauty, the novel by English author Anna Sewell, was published today in 1877, it became one of the best-selling books of all time
- Guys and Dolls, a musical adaptation of some of Damon Runyon’s short stories, premiered on Broadway today in 1950
- The Beatles began recording their hit album, Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, today in 1966
Family Events Today
- The man who would write The Adventures of Pinocchio, Carlo Lorenzini, better known by the pen name Carlo Collodi, was born today in 1826 in Florence
- The American pianist composer and pianist Scott Joplin, dubbed the King of Ragtime, was born today in 1867 in Texas
- Theodore Robert Bundy, better known as American serial killer Ted Bundy, who kidnapped, raped and murdered at least 30 women, was born today in 1946
Main Event Today
- Charles Darwin’s book, On the Origin of Species, was published today in 1859, the full name of the book is, On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, or the Preservation of Favoured Races in the Struggle for Life
National Day Today
- Today, it’s National Sardines Day