12 History Lessons + 7 Births & 7 Deaths for October 15, 2025
Today’s History:
- 1582 – Gregorian calendar takes effect in parts of Europe; Oct 4 is followed by Oct 15 in Catholic countries.
- 1764 – Edward Gibbon conceives the idea for “The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire” while in Rome.
- 1783 – Pilâtre de Rozier makes one of the first manned tethered balloon ascents in Paris.
- 1815 – Napoleon Bonaparte arrives on Saint Helena to begin his final exile.
- 1940 – Charlie Chaplin’s film “The Great Dictator” premieres in New York.
- 1951 – “I Love Lucy” premieres on American television.
- 1964 – First White Cane Safety Day is observed in the United States.
- 1966 – The Black Panther Party is founded in Oakland, California.
- 1969 – Nationwide Moratorium to End the War in Vietnam draws millions to peaceful protests.
- 1997 – NASA and ESA launch the Cassini–Huygens mission to Saturn.
- 2003 – China launches Shenzhou 5, sending Yang Liwei into orbit on the nation’s first human spaceflight.
- 2017 – The #MeToo movement surges on social media as the hashtag goes viral.
Today’s Birthdays:
- 1946 – Richard Carpenter, musician/producer, co-founder of The Carpenters (79)
- 1953 – Tito Jackson, musician, member of the Jackson 5 (72)
- 1959 – Emeril Lagasse, celebrity chef and restaurateur (66)
- 1968 – Vanessa Marcil, actor (“General Hospital,” “Las Vegas”) (57)
- 1970 – Ginuwine, R&B singer (“Pony”) (55)
- 1981 – Keyshia Cole, R&B singer-songwriter and TV personality (44)
- 1989 – Anthony Joshua, heavyweight boxing champion (36)
Today’s Deaths:
- 1917 – Mata Hari, Dutch dancer and accused spy (41)
- 1945 – Pierre Laval, French prime minister, executed for treason (62)
- 1946 – Hermann Göring, senior Nazi official, dies by suicide before execution (53)
- 1964 – Cole Porter, American composer and songwriter (73)
- 1987 – Thomas Sankara, revolutionary leader and president of Burkina Faso (37)
- 2018 – Paul Allen, Microsoft co-founder and philanthropist (65)
- 2023 – Suzanne Somers, actor and entrepreneur (“Three’s Company”) (76)
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