This Day In History

On April 16, 1862, President Abraham Lincoln signed the District of Columbia Compensated Emancipation Act. The act freed over 3,100 people enslaved in the US capital nine months before the Emancipation Proclamation would free all enslaved people in the US.

On April 15, 1865, President Lincoln died less than 12 hours after being shot by John Wilkes Booth. He was the first US president to be assassinated, just as the Civil War was drawing to a close.

One of the most well known maritime disasters in history occurred on April 14, 1912, when the Titanic hit an iceberg and sank.

On April 13, 1977, the USPS issued the first stamps in the American Folk Art Series. The Folk Art Series honored important and lesser-known items in American art and culture.

On February 18, 1930, Clyde Tombaugh discovered Pluto after nearly a year of searching. It would be another 85 years before the US sent its first space probe there – inspired by a postage stamp!

On February 14, 1912, Arizona was admitted as the 48th state. It would be another 48 years before another state was added to the Union.

On February 10, 1807, President Thomas Jefferson signed legislation to establish the United States Survey of the Coast. This later became the US Coast and Geodetic Survey and eventually the National Geodetic Survey.

On January 18, 1778, Captain James Cook became the first European to reach the Hawaiian islands. The Hawaiians believed Cook had divine powers and considered him a great chief.

On April 17, 1958, the Brussels World’s Fair, also known as Expo ’58, opened its doors. It was the first major official world’s fair after WWII.

On April 17, 1964, the Ford Mustang debuted at the New York Auto Show, and was available for sale around the country that same day. The Mustang far outsold expectations and shattered sales records.

On April 17, 1900, chiefs on the island of Tutuila signed the Treaty of Cession of Tutuila, transferring control of American Samoa to the United States.  The US Navy governed the island for half a century before it became self-governing, but remains an unincorporated US territory.

On April 17, 1961, a group of Cuban exiles launched an operation in Cuba known as the Bay of Pigs Invasion. It was an important event in the Cold War and led to major changes between the US, Cuba, and the Soviet Union.