Events throughout history include Paul Revere’s ride warning of British plot (1775), a radio broadcast with no news (1930), Ezra Pound’s release from asylum (1958), the first crossword book published (1924), the Great San Francisco Earthquake (1906), the first stone laid in St. Peter’s Basilica (1506), the Doolittle raids on Tokyo (1942), Joan of Arc’s beatification (1909), the rise of Pentecostalism (1906), and Albert Einstein’s death (1955).
Paul Revere had his famous night ride. (1775) Revere and William Dawes rode across Massachusetts to warn revolutionary leaders of a British plot. The next morning the British clashed with the prepared revolutionary fighters, the “shot heard throughout the world” was fired, and the Revolutionary War began.
BBC Radio announced that there was no news that day. (1930) The entire radio broadcast consisted of the following: “Today is Good Friday. There’s no news.”
A US federal court has ruled that Ezra Pound could be released from an asylum. (1958) Pound was committed in 1945 after being accused of treason; his commitment is thought to have kept him from a life sentence. In an unusual memo, the hospital supervisor advocated Pound’s release not because he was cured, but because he was so insane that the asylum would do him no good.
Simon and Schuster published the first book of crossword puzzles. (1924) Richard Simon’s aunt was the inspiration for the first crossword book when she asked her nephew if he could make her a crossword book, which had just become popular in 1913. The book came with a pencil attached as a gimmick, and it was what got the company off the ground.
The Great San Francisco Earthquake occurred. (1906) A massive slip on the San Andreas Fault caused an earthquake that destroyed over 30,000 buildings and killed over 3,000 people.
The first stone was laid in St. Peter’s Basilica. (1506) The basilica has the largest interior of any Christian church in the world and took more than a century to complete. Contrary to popular belief, it is not a cathedral, as it is not the seat of a bishop.
The Doolittle raids took place in Japan. (1942) The raids took place on Tokyo and were led by Lieutenant Colonel James H. Doolittle, who was awarded a Medal of Honor by Congress for his actions. While the raid did not cause Japan much material damage, it was a major blow to the country’s prestige and a major event in the war.
Joan of Arc was beatified. (1909) Beatification is the first step towards becoming a saint; Joanna became one nine years later and quickly became one of the most beloved saints in the Catholic church.
Pentecostalism began to become a worldwide phenomenon. (1906) Pentecostalism, a charismatic type of Christianity, got its modern beginning when the Los Angeles Times covered the Azusa Street Revival, a historic Pentecostal revival that included then-controversial mixing of races, speaking in tongues, and services dramatic and emotional cult movies.
Albert Einstein is dead. (1955) Named “Man of the Century” by TIME magazine, Einstein was an extraordinarily influential mathematician and physicist. He is perhaps best known for his theories of space and time and this theory of general relativity.
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