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April 2, 2014 – Segment 1
April 2, 2014 – Segment 1Marc shares some of the events that happened on this day in history, including Bo Diddley’s first recording session, the death of Pope John Paul II, and the birthdays of Lou Reed and Marvin Gaye.
Today is:
International Children’s Book Day
Malvinas Day (Argentina)
Unity of Peoples of Russia and Belarus Day (Belarus)
Thai Heritage Conservation Day (Thailand)
World Autism Awareness Day
On this day in history:
1855 – John Mercer Langston, considered the first African American to be elected to public office is elected clerk of Brownhelm, Ohio township
1881: Clara Driscoll born
1912 – The ill-fated RMS Titanic begins sea trials.
1917: President Woodrow Wilson tells Congress “The world must be made safe for democracy.” asking Congress for a declaration of war and to send U.S. troops into battle against Germany in World War I.
1917: Jeannette Rankin took her seat in the U.S. Congress, the first woman to be elected to that body
1930 – After the mysterious death of Empress Zewditu, Haile Selassie is proclaimed emperor of Ethiopia.
1955: Bo Diddley has his first recording session at Universal Recording Studio in Chicago, where he laid down ‘Bo Diddley’, which went on the top the US R&B chart by the following June.
1963: The Four Seasons became the first group to have 3 consecutive No.1’s in the US when ‘Walk Like A man’, started a three week run at the top, a No.12 in hit the UK.
1972: Following 20 years of self-imposed exile after he was accused of “un-American activities” as a suspected communist sympathizer during the era of McCarthyism. He returned only to receive an Honorary Oscar at the Academy Awards, and went back to his home in Vevey, Switzerland.
1974: At this year’s Grammys Stevie Wonder won four awards: Album of the year for ‘Innervisions’, Best R&B song and Best vocal for ‘Superstition’ and Pop vocal performance for ‘You Are The Sunshine Of My Life’.
1979: The world’s first anthrax epidemic begins in Ekaterinburg, Russia by the time it was finished 62 people were dead. The town did contain a biological weapons plant, and in 1992 the cause was confirmed as starting at that plant.
1982: Argentina invaded the Falklands Islands, and quickly overcame the small garrison of British marines at the town of Stanley on East Falkland, this led to the Falklands Crisis ( Both sides never used the word war all throughout the conflict although the popular press in both countries did ), . The final official date of the conflict is given as 14th June just 6 weeks after the Argentinean Invasion with Britain back in full control of the Islands.
1984 – Coach John Thompson of Georgetown University becomes the first Black coach to win the NCAA basketball tournament.
2008: The Pentagon has declassified the 2003 legal memo that approved the use of harsh interrogation techniques for terror suspects. The U.S. Justice Department’s Office of Legal Counsel (OLC) memo said President Bush’s war-time authority superseded international laws on interrogation, and gave legal justification for aggressive methods (as long as no intended torture was taking place). The memo was subsequently overruled, but its release allowed a lawsuit by the American Civil Liberties Union to take place.
2010: The United States has announced that it will be profiling its incoming air passengers to work out which of them will need further screening. This system will replace the mandatory screening of travelers from fourteen nations that has taken place since the failed attack in December 2009. Travelers will be selected on to how closely they match intelligence on current terrorist threats. The United States began notifying the air carriers on April 1st, and the new protocols are implemented with immediate effect. A senior administration official has said that the profiling of racial or religious characteristics would be used.
Born on this day in history:
742 – Charlemagne, Frankish king (d. 814)
1725 – Giacomo Casanova, Italian explorer and author (d. 1798)
1805 – Hans Christian Andersen, Danish author and poet (d. 1875)
1918 – Charles White, renowned African-American artist born in Chicago, IL; died October 3, 1979. Charles White began his professional career by painting murals for the WPA during the Depression. He was influenced by Mexican muralists Diego Rivera and David Alfaro Siquieros.
1938 – Booker Little, American trumpet player and composer (d. 1961)
1939 – Marvin Gaye is born in Washington, D.C. He will sign with Motown in 1962 and begin a 22-year career that includes hits “Pride and Joy,” duets with Mary Wells and Tammi Terrell, as well as best-selling albums exploring his social consciousness (What’s Going On) and sexuality (Let’s Get It On, Midnight Love). (d. 1984)
1943: Born on this day, Lou Reed, Velvet Underground, (1968 ‘White Light, White Heat’), solo, (1973 UK No.10 & US No.16 single ‘Walk On The Wildside’, 1997 UK No.1 charity single ‘Perfect Day’). Reed died on 27th Oct 2013 aged 71.
1947 – Camille Paglia, American author and critic
1954 – Gregory Abbott, American singer-songwriter and producer
1962: Born on this day, Jon Bon Jovi, vocals, solo, (1990 UK No.13 single ‘Blaze Of Glory’), Bon Jovi, (1987 US No.1 & UK No.4 single ‘Livin’ On A Prayer’, 1986 US & UK No.1 album ‘Slippery When Wet’, plus nine other UK Top 10 albums).
1967 – Prince Paul, American DJ and producer (Gravediggaz, Stetsasonic, and Handsome Boy Modeling School)
On this day in history, we lost:
1872 – Samuel Morse, American inventor, invented the Morse code (b. 1791)
1932 – World famous African American cowboy Willie “Bill” Pickett died in Ponca, Oklahoma, hospital of injuries sustained after he was kicked in the head by a horse on the Miller’s Brothers’ Fabulous 101 Ranch.
2003 – Edwin Starr, American singer-songwriter (b. 1942)
2003: Singer, songwriter Hank Ballard died from throat cancer. Wrote and recorded ‘The Twist’ but it was only released on the B-side of a record. One year later, Chubby Checker debuted his own version of ‘The Twist’ on Dick Clark’s Philadelphia television show. It topped the charts and launched a dance craze that prompted the creation of other Twist songs, including ‘Twist and Shout’ by the Isley Brothers and ‘Twistin’ the Night Away’ by Sam Cooke.
2005: Pope John Paul II served as the 264th Pope of the Roman Catholic Church from October 16th, 1978, until his death on 2nd April 2005 almost 27 years later.
Sources: The People History; This Day in Labor History; Wikipedia List of Historical Anniversaries; This Day in Women’s History; This Day in African History;History.com; History Orb; Yenoba; Selected Black Facts; Phil Konstantin’s North American Indian History; and This Day in Music
Today is:
International Children’s Book Day
Malvinas Day (Argentina)
Unity of Peoples of Russia and Belarus Day (Belarus)
Thai Heritage Conservation Day (Thailand)
World Autism Awareness Day
On this day in history:
1855 – John Mercer Langston, considered the first African American to be elected to public
office is elected clerk of Brownhelm, Ohio township
1881: Clara Driscoll born
1912 – The ill-fated RMS Titanic begins sea trials.
1917: President Woodrow Wilson tells Congress “The world must be made safe for democracy.”
asking Congress for a declaration of war and to send U.S. troops into battle against Germany in
World War I.
1917: Jeannette Rankin took her seat in the U.S. Congress, the first woman to be elected to
that body
1930 – After the mysterious death of Empress Zewditu, Haile Selassie is proclaimed emperor of
Ethiopia.
1955: Bo Diddley has his first recording session at Universal Recording Studio in Chicago,
where he laid down ‘Bo Diddley’, which went on the top the US R&B chart by the following June.
1963: The Four Seasons became the first group to have 3 consecutive No.1’s in the US
when ‘Walk Like A man’, started a three week run at the top, a No.12 in hit the UK.
1972: Following 20 years of self-imposed exile after he was accused of “un-American activities”
as a suspected communist sympathizer during the era of McCarthyism. He returned only to
receive an Honorary Oscar at the Academy Awards, and went back to his home in Vevey,
Switzerland.
1974: At this year’s Grammys Stevie Wonder won four awards: Album of the year
for ‘Innervisions’, Best R&B song and Best vocal for ‘Superstition’ and Pop vocal performance
for ‘You Are The Sunshine Of My Life’.
1979: The world’s first anthrax epidemic begins in Ekaterinburg, Russia by the time it was
finished 62 people were dead. The town did contain a biological weapons plant, and in 1992 the
cause was confirmed as starting at that plant.
1982: Argentina invaded the Falklands Islands, and quickly overcame the small garrison of
British marines at the town of Stanley on East Falkland, this led to the Falklands Crisis ( Both
sides never used the word war all throughout the conflict although the popular press in both
countries did ), . The final official date of the conflict is given as 14th June just 6 weeks after the
Argentinean Invasion with Britain back in full control of the Islands.
1984 – Coach John Thompson of Georgetown University becomes the first Black coach to win
the NCAA basketball tournament.
2008: The Pentagon has declassified the 2003 legal memo that approved the use of harsh
interrogation techniques for terror suspects. The U.S. Justice Department’s Office of Legal
Counsel (OLC) memo said President Bush’s war-time authority superseded international laws
on interrogation, and gave legal justification for aggressive methods (as long as no intended
torture was taking place). The memo was subsequently overruled, but its release allowed a
lawsuit by the American Civil Liberties Union to take place.
2010: The United States has announced that it will be profiling its incoming air passengers to
work out which of them will need further screening. This system will replace the mandatory
screening of travelers from fourteen nations that has taken place since the failed attack in
December 2009. Travelers will be selected on to how closely they match intelligence on current
terrorist threats. The United States began notifying the air carriers on April 1st, and the new
protocols are implemented with immediate effect. A senior administration official has said that
the profiling of racial or religious characteristics would be used.
Born on this day in history:
742 – Charlemagne, Frankish king (d. 814)
1725 – Giacomo Casanova, Italian explorer and author (d. 1798)
1805 – Hans Christian Andersen, Danish author and poet (d. 1875)
1918 – Charles White, renowned African-American artist born in Chicago, IL; died October 3,
1979. Charles White began his professional career by painting murals for the WPA during the
Depression. He was influenced by Mexican muralists Diego Rivera and David Alfaro Siquieros.
1938 – Booker Little, American trumpet player and composer (d. 1961)
1939 – Marvin Gaye is born in Washington, D.C. He will sign with Motown in 1962 and begin a
22-year career that includes hits “Pride and Joy,” duets with Mary Wells and Tammi Terrell, as
well as best-selling albums exploring his social consciousness (What’s Going On) and sexuality
(Let’s Get It On, Midnight Love). (d. 1984)
1943: Born on this day, Lou Reed, Velvet Underground, (1968 ‘White Light, White Heat’),
solo, (1973 UK No.10 & US No.16 single ‘Walk On The Wildside’, 1997 UK No.1 charity
single ‘Perfect Day’). Reed died on 27th Oct 2013 aged 71.
1947 – Camille Paglia, American author and critic
1954 – Gregory Abbott, American singer-songwriter and producer
1962: Born on this day, Jon Bon Jovi, vocals, solo, (1990 UK No.13 single ‘Blaze Of
Glory’), Bon Jovi, (1987 US No.1 & UK No.4 single ‘Livin’ On A Prayer’, 1986 US & UK No.1
album ‘Slippery When Wet’, plus nine other UK Top 10 albums).
1967 – Prince Paul, American DJ and producer (Gravediggaz, Stetsasonic, and Handsome Boy
Modeling School)
On this day in history, we lost:
1872 – Samuel Morse, American inventor, invented the Morse code (b. 1791)
1932 – World famous African American cowboy Willie “Bill” Pickett died in Ponca, Oklahoma,
hospital of injuries sustained after he was kicked in the head by a horse on the Miller’s Brothers’
Fabulous 101 Ranch.
2003 – Edwin Starr, American singer-songwriter (b. 1942)
2003: Singer, songwriter Hank Ballard died from throat cancer. Wrote and recorded ‘The Twist’
but it was only released on the B-side of a record. One year later, Chubby Checker debuted his
own version of ‘The Twist’ on Dick Clark’s Philadelphia television show. It topped the charts and
launched a dance craze that prompted the creation of other Twist songs, including ‘Twist and
Shout’ by the Isley Brothers and ‘Twistin’ the Night Away’ by Sam Cooke.
2005: Pope John Paul II served as the 264th Pope of the Roman Catholic Church from October
16th, 1978, until his death on 2nd April 2005 almost 27 years later.
Sources: The People History; This Day in Labor History; Wikipedia List of Historical Anniversaries; This Day in Women’s History; This Day in African History;History.com; History Orb; Yenoba; Selected Black Facts; Phil Konstantin’s North American Indian History; and This Day in Music
