9 History Lessons + 4 Births & 5 Deaths for April 8, 2025
Today’s History:
- 1820 – The Venus de Milo is discovered on the Greek island of Milos.
- 1864 – The U.S. Senate passes the 13th Amendment to abolish slavery.
- 1904 – Britain and France sign the Entente Cordiale, improving relations and setting the stage for World War I alliances.
- 1913 – The 17th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution is ratified, establishing the direct election of senators.
- 1952 – President Harry Truman seizes U.S. steel mills to prevent a strike during the Korean War.
- 1974 – Hank Aaron hits his 715th career home run, breaking Babe Ruth’s record.
- 1992 – Former tennis star Arthur Ashe announces he has AIDS, likely contracted from a blood transfusion.
- 1994 – Nirvana’s lead singer Kurt Cobain is found dead at his Seattle home (death occurred April 5).
- 2005 – Funeral of Pope John Paul II is held in Vatican City, attended by millions.
Today’s Birthdays:
- 1963 – Julian Lennon, musician and son of John Lennon (62)
- 1966 – Robin Wright, actress (House of Cards, The Princess Bride) (59)
- 1980 – Katee Sackhoff, actress (Battlestar Galactica, The Mandalorian) (45)
- 1990 – Skai Jackson, actress and YouTuber (Jessie) (35)
Today’s Deaths:
- 1879 – Thomas Blake Glover, Scottish merchant and influential figure in the modernization of Japan (51)
- 1973 – Pablo Picasso, Spanish painter and co-founder of Cubism (91)
- 1990 – Ryan White, American teen AIDS activist (18)
- 2013 – Margaret Thatcher, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (87)
- 2021 – DMX (Earl Simmons), American rapper and actor (50)
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