The first continuously-published newspaper in the American colonies, The Boston News-Letter, published its first issue on April 24, 1704. It was the only continuously-produced paper in the colonies for 15 years and ceased publication in 1776 due to the American Revolution.
The forerunner of the US Army Reserve was established on April 23, 1908. It was the nation’s first federal reserve – providing fully-trained and prepared troops in times of need. Today, there are over 815,000 reservists across all the military branches.
On April 22, 1919, the Ohio Society for Crippled Children was founded. This later grew to become Easterseals, the nation’s largest nonprofit healthcare organization, which serves more than 1.5 million people every year.
Gospel singer Clara Mae Ward was born on April 21, 1924, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She was a talented singer who helped push gospel out of churches into nightclubs, which earned her both praise and criticism.
On April 20, 1987, the second Sunshine Skyway Bridge opened. It was rebuilt following a 1980 accident. Considered a symbol of Florida, it’s also the longest cable-stayed concrete bridge in the world.
The first-ever Boson Marathon was run on April 19, 1897. It’s the world’s oldest annual marathon and is one of the six World Marathon Majors. While the first race included 15 runners, recent races have seen over 30,000 participants.
On April 18, 1968, American entrepreneur Robert P. McCulloch purchased Britain’s famed London Bridge and relocated it to Arizona. Though it was dubbed “McCulloch’s Folly,” it turned out to be a successful gamble and became one of Arizona’s most popular attractions.
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.
Apollo 16 launched from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 12:54 p.m. on April 16, 1972. It was the 10th crewed Apollo mission and the fifth and second to last to land on the Moon.