April 24 April 24 is the 114th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (115th in leap years). There are 251 days remaining. Events 1200 BC-AD 1899 1184 BC - Greeks enter Troy using the Trojan Horse (traditional). 1066 - Halley's Comet spotted. 1704 - The first regular newspaper in the United States, the Boston, Massachusetts New-Letter, is published. 1792 - "La Marseillaise" (French national anthem) is composed. 1800 - The United States Library of Congress is established when President John Adams signs legislation to appropriate $5,000 to purchase "such books as may be necessary for the use of Congress". 1846 - The beginning of the Mexican-American War. 1862 - American Civil War: A flotilla commanded by Union Admiral David Farragut pases two Confederate forts on the Mississippi River on its way to capture New Orleans, Louisiana. 1863 - The Keyesville Massacre: a massacre of 53 Native American men from the Tehachapi tribe in Keyesville, California. 1898 - Spanish-American War: Spain declares war on the United States. 1900-1999 1908 - Ralph DePalma makes his racing debut at the Briarcliff Trophy Race in Westchester, New York. 1913 - Woolworth Building opening ceremony. 1915 - The Ottoman Government began their genocidal campaign to annihilate the Armenians of Anatolia. 1916 - Easter Uprising begins: The Irish Republican Brotherhood led by nationalist Patrick Pearse start a rebellion in Ireland. 1922 - In Australia, Colin Ross is hanged for the rape and murder of 13-year-old Alma Tirtsche. 1925 - John Scopes taught Darwin's theory of evolution, leading to the Scopes monkey trial. 1940 - World War II: Operation Demon - The United Kingdom begins evacuating Greece. 1953 - Winston Churchill is knighted by Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom. 1955 - Bandung Conference ends: 29 "non-aligned" nations finish a meeting that condemned colonialism, racism, and the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union. 1961 - The salvage of the famous Swedish ship HMS Wasa. 1963- Marriage of Her Royal Highness Princess Alexandra of Kent to Angus James Bruce Ogilvy at Westminster Abbey in London. 1967 - Cosmonaut Vladimir Komarov dies in Soyuz 1. 1967 - Vietnam War: American General William Westmoreland says in a news conference that the enemy had "gained support in the United States that gives him hope that he can win politically that which he cannot win militarily." 1968 - Mauritius becomes a member state of the United Nations. 1970 - The first Chinese satellite is launched. 1970 - The Gambia becomes a republic. 1975 - The Baader-Meinhof Gang blow up the West German embassy in Stockholm. 1980 - An American attempt to rescue the American hostages held in Tehran ends with eight American servicemen dead and no hostages freed. 1981 - Introduction of the first IBM PC. 1982 - In Harrogate, United Kingdom, Nicole wins the twenty-seventh Eurovision Song Contest for Germany singing "Ein bißchen Frieden" (A little bit of peace). 1984 - Apple Computer unveils its Apple IIc portable computer. 1990 - The Hubble Space Telescope is launched by Space Shuttle Discovery. 1990 - Gruinard island is officially declared free of anthrax after 48 years of quarantine. 1993 - An IRA bomb devastates City of London. 1994 - The world's largest lollipop weighing 3,011 pounds (1,366 kg) is made in Denmark 1995 - The last Chevrolet Corvette ZR-1 rolls off the assembly line. 1996 - In the United States, the Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act of 1996 is introduced. 2000-2099 2004 - US lifts economic sanctions imposed on Libya 18 years ago as a 'reward' for its cooperation in eliminating weapons of mass destruction. Births 1500-1899 1533 - William I of Orange, Dutch uprise leader and national "father" (d. 1584) 1718 - Nathaniel Hone, Irish-born painter (d. 1784) 1815 - Anthony Trollope, English novelist (d. 1882) 1856 - Henri Philippe Pétain, French soldier and statesman (d. 1951) 1873 - Theodor Körner, general and politician (d. 1957) 1876 - Erich Raeder, commander in chief of the German navy (d. 1960) 1878 - Jean Crotti, Swiss artist (d. 1958) 1882 - Hugh Dowding, Scottish fighter pilot (d. 1970) 1889 - Sir Stafford Cripps, British politician (d. 1952) 1896 - Benjamin Whorf, American linguist (d. 1941) 1899 - Oscar Zariski, mathematician (d. 1986) 1900-1999 1904 - Willem de Kooning, Dutch painter (d. 1997) 1905 - Robert Penn Warren, writer, Pulitzer Prize winner, first American Poet Laureate (d. 1989) 1906 - William Joyce, Irish-British fascist propagandist, writer and traitor (d. 1946) 1914 - Justin Wilson, Cajun humorist, celebrity chef, writer (d. 2001) 1914 - William Castle, director, producer (d. 1977) 1924 - Sir Clement Freud, British writer, radio personality and politician 1926 - Thorbjörn Fälldin, Prime Minister of Sweden 1930 - Jerome Callet, musician 1930 - Richard Donner, director, producer 1934 - Shirley MacLaine, actress and author 1940 - Sue Grafton, author 1941 - John Williams, Australian guitarist 1942 - Richard M. Daley, politician 1942 - Barbra Streisand, singer, actress, director 1952 - Jean-Paul Gaultier, fashion designer 1953 - Eric Bogosian, actor, writer 1954 - Mumia Abu-Jamal, journalist and political activist 1962 - Jeff Minter, computer games programmer 1964 - Cedric the Entertainer, comedian, actor 1964 - Djimon Hounsou, actor 1972 - Chipper Jones, baseball player 1973 - Sachin Tendulkar, Indian cricket player 1977 - Carlos Beltran, baseball player 1982 - Kelly Clarkson, singer, winner of the first American Idol competition Deaths 600-1899 624 - Mellitus, saint 1342 - Pope Benedict XII (b. 1285) 1731 - Daniel Defoe, English writer (b. c. 1660) 1736 - Eugene of Savoy, French-Austrian general (b. 1663) 1900-1999 1924 - G. Stanley Hall, psychologist (b. 1844) 1938 - George Grey Barnard, sculptor (b. 1863) 1942 - Lucy Maude Montgomery, Canadian author (b. 1874) 1947 - Willa Cather, writer (b. 1873) 1965 - Louise Dresser, actress (b. 1878) 1967 - Vladimir Komarov, cosmonaut on Soyuz 1 (b. 1927) 1974 - Bud Abbott, actor, comedian (b. 1895) 1982 - Ville Ritola, Finnish athlete (b. 1896) 1986 - Wallis Simpson, mistress and wife of The Duke of Windsor (b. 1896) 2000-2099 2004 - Estée Lauder, cosmetics pioneer (b. 1906) Holidays and observances Easter Sunday 1791, 1859, 2011. Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day The feast day of Saint Egbert of Northumbria. 24-hour comics day April 23 - April 25 - March 24 - May 24 -- listing of all days Most Popular Articles: Music    Musical Instruments    Guitar    Classical Music    History    Music Definition    Country Music    Rock Music    Pop Music    Hip Hop    Rap    DJ    Video Games    Casino Games    Poker    Blackjack    Casinos    Real Estate    Loan    Auction    eBay    Marketing    Search Engine Optimization    File Sharing    MP3    Music Industry    Kazaa    Internet    Supermodel    Fashion    Fashion Designers    Erotica    Modeling    Clothing    Boots    Shoes    Diamond Engagement Rings    Diamond    Rugs    Gospel Music    Affiliate    E-Commerce    Radio This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License at http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html You may copy and modify it as long as the entire work (including additions) remains under this license. 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