Birthdays

Joseph Pulitzer - April 10, 1847
Pulitzer was a renowned American journalist and the largest newspaper publisher of his time. He was founder of the Pulitzer Prizes for outstanding merit in journalism - these prizes have been awarded annually since 1917.

David Letterman - April 12, 1947
Late-night comedian and talk-show host. Letterman has hosted "Late Night with David Letterman" for over 15 years.

Alfred M. Butts - April 13, 1899.
What has 100 tiles...225 squares...a multi-colored board...and millions of fans of all ages, backgrounds and locales?
The answer, of course, is SCRABBLE® Brand Crossword Game which took America by storm in the early 1950s-and has continued to grow in popularity. In 1931 Alfred Butts translated his lifelong love of crossword puzzles into a board game. Mr. Butts, attempting to create a game that would use both chance and skill, combined features of anagrams and the crossword puzzle-and called his new game "Criss Cross Words."

Thomas Jefferson - April 13, 1743
Jefferson was an integral participant in all political events leading up to and through the American Revolution - including, perhaps most notably, being the author of the Declaration of Independence. He would become the third President of the United States, following George Washington and John Adams.



Events

April 9, 1865 - U.S. Civil War Ends
Four years of Civil War ended on this date when General Robert E. Lee surrendered to General Ulysses S. Grant in the village of Appomattox Court House in Virginia. The formal surrender took place three days later on April 12th. The death toll from the Civil War has been estimated at 500,000 men.

 

April 10, 1970 - The Beatles Break Up
On this date in 1970, Paul McCartney released a new solo album along with a press release announcing that he had no further plans to work with the Beatles, citing personal, business and musical differences. McCartney sued to dissolve the Beatles in December of 1970, and the group was formally dissolved four years later.

April 11, 1968 - Civil Rights Act signed into law
President Lyndon B. Johnson signed this law one week after the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. The law protected civil rights workers, expanded the rights of Native Americans, and provided for anti-discrimination measures in housing.

April 11, 1970 - Apollo 13 Accident
On this date in 1970, the Apollo 13 mission was well underway with astronauts Jim Lovell, Fred Haise and Jack Swigert on their way to a planned landing on the moon when an oxygen tank ruptured and exploded. The damage was extensive and not only resulted in a cancellation of the moon landing but seriously endangered the lives of the crew. Over the next four days the world watched and waited as the crippled spaceship continued around the moon and back to a successful splashdown in the Pacific Ocean on April 17th.


April 12, 1945 - President Franklin Delano Roosevelt Dies.
Roosevelt had just begun his fourth term in office, and his sudden death shocked the nation and the world. The only President to serve more than two terms, he had led the nation out of the Depression and through the difficult years of World War II. An amendment to the Constitution would later be passed to limit future Presidents to two terms in office.

April 14, 1865 - President Abraham Lincoln Assassinated
Lincoln was shot while watching a performance at Ford's Theatre in Washington, D.C. He died the following day. His assassin, John Wilkes Booth, made a spectacular escape from the theatre, only to be killed during a standoff with government agents 12 days later.