April 14th in History

Michael Dobson | April 14

The Assassination of Abraham Lincoln, by Currier & Ives

Today in History

  • The Donner Party departs for California (1846)
  • The first Pony Express rider reaches San Francisco (1860)
  • Abraham Lincoln is shot at Ford’s Theater. He will die the following day (1865)
  • RMS Titanic hits an iceberg. It will sink the following day (1912)
  • The Grapes of Wrath is published (1939)
  • Rommel attacks Tobruk (1941)
  • Videotape is demonstrated for the first time (1956)
  • Sputnik 2 falls from orbit after 162 days (1958)

Birthdays

  • Averroes, physician and philosopher (1126)
  • Christiaan Huygens, astronomer (1629)
  • Anne Sullivan, Helen Keller’s teacher (1866)
  • Arnold Toynbee, historian (1889)
  • Juan Belmonte, bullfighter (1892)
  • John Gielgud, actor (1904)
  • Rod Steiger, actor (1925)
  • Gerry Anderson, creator of Supermarionation® (1929)
  • Loretta Lynn, country singer-songwriter (1932)
  • Erich von Däniken, “ancient astronauts” believer (1935)
  • Bobby Nichols, golfer (1936)
  • Julie Christie, actress (1940)
  • Dave Gibbons, comics artist (1949)
  • Bruce Sterling, cyberpunk author (1954)
  • Anthony Michael Hall, actor (1968)
  • Sarah Michelle Gellar, actress (1977)

Deaths

  • George Friedrich Handel, composer (1759)
  • John Singer Sargent, painter (1925)
  • Rachel Carlson, biologist and writer (1964)
  • Simone de Beauvoir, philosopher and writer (1986)
  • Burl Ives, singer and actor (1995)
  • Anthony Newley, singer-songwriter and actor (1999)
  • Don Ho, singer (2007)
  • Jonathan Frid, actor (2012)

Holidays and Celebrations

  • Ambedkar Jayanti (India)
  • Black Day (South Korea)
  • Dhivehi Language Day (Maldives)
  • Day of the Georgian Language (Georgia)
  • Day of Mologa (Yaroslavl Oblast, Russia)
  • N’Ko Alphabet Day (Mande speakers)
Various South and Southeast Asian cultures celebrate New Year’s day on the sidereal vernal equinox, including parts of India, Bangladesh, Burma, Cambodia, Laos, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Thailand.

Informal and made-up holidays include Ex Spouse Day, International Moment of Laughter Day, Look Up at the Sky Day, National Pecan Day, and Reach as High as You Can Day.

April 14 is the 104th day of the year (105th in leap years). There are 261 days remaining until the end of the year.