8 History Lessons + 5 Births & 5 Deaths for April 7, 2025
Today’s History:
- 1795 – France adopts the metre as the official unit of length.
- 1927 – The first public demonstration of a television takes place in New York City.
- 1933 – Prohibition ends in the United States as 3.2% beer and wine sales are legalized.
- 1948 – The World Health Organization (WHO) is established by the United Nations.
- 1954 – U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower delivers his “domino theory” speech on communism in Southeast Asia.
- 1969 – The Internet’s symbolic birth: RFC 1 is published, describing the protocols of ARPANET.
- 2003 – U.S. troops capture Baghdad, ending the rule of Saddam Hussein in Iraq.
- 2021 – Japan releases treated radioactive water from Fukushima into the ocean, sparking international concern.
Today’s Birthdays:
- 1939 – Francis Ford Coppola, filmmaker (The Godfather, Apocalypse Now) (85)
- 1954 – Jackie Chan, martial artist and actor (Rush Hour, Police Story) (71)
- 1964 – Russell Crowe, actor (Gladiator, A Beautiful Mind) (61)
- 1966 – Bill Bellamy, comedian and actor (MTV, How to Be a Player) (59)
- 1975 – Ronny Turiaf, French former NBA player (50)
Today’s Deaths:
- 1498 – Charles VIII, King of France (27)
- 1939 – Joseph Lyons, Prime Minister of Australia (59)
- 1947 – Henry Ford, American industrialist and founder of Ford Motor Company (83)
- 1998 – Wendy O. Williams, punk rock singer and lead vocalist of the Plasmatics (48)
- 2001 – Beatrice Straight, Academy Award-winning actress (Network) (86)
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