12 History Lessons + 7 Births & 7 Deaths for September 4, 2025
Today’s History:
- 476 – Odoacer deposes Romulus Augustulus, marking the fall of the Western Roman Empire.
- 1781 – El Pueblo de Los Ángeles is founded by the “Los Pobladores.”
- 1870 – The French Third Republic is proclaimed in Paris after the defeat at Sedan.
- 1886 – Apache leader Geronimo surrenders at Skeleton Canyon, effectively ending the Apache Wars.
- 1888 – George Eastman receives a U.S. patent for his roll-film camera and registers the Kodak trademark.
- 1944 – British forces liberate Antwerp, a vital port in World War II.
- 1951 – First live transcontinental U.S. TV broadcast airs (President Truman’s address from San Francisco).
- 1957 – Arkansas Governor Orval Faubus uses the National Guard to block the Little Rock Nine from Central High School.
- 1972 – Mark Spitz wins a record-setting seventh gold medal at the Munich Olympics (4×100 m medley relay).
- 1998 – Google is incorporated in California.
- 2010 – A magnitude 7.1 earthquake strikes near Christchurch, New Zealand (Canterbury earthquake).
- 2016 – Mother Teresa is canonized as Saint Teresa of Calcutta by Pope Francis.
Today’s Birthdays:
- 1949 – Tom Watson, Hall of Fame golfer (76)
- 1958 – Drew Pinsky, physician and media host (“Dr. Drew”) (67)
- 1960 – Damon Wayans, comedian and actor (65)
- 1968 – Mike Piazza, Baseball Hall of Fame catcher (57)
- 1975 – Mark Ronson, producer and DJ (50)
- 1978 – Wes Bentley, actor (Yellowstone, American Beauty) (47)
- 1981 – Beyoncé, Grammy-winning singer and entrepreneur (44)
Today’s Deaths:
- 1907 – Edvard Grieg, Norwegian composer (Peer Gynt) (64)
- 1989 – Georges Simenon, Belgian novelist (Inspector Maigret creator) (86)
- 1990 – Irene Dunne, American actress (The Awful Truth) (91)
- 1993 – Hervé Villechaize, actor (“Tattoo” on Fantasy Island) (50)
- 1995 – William Kunstler, civil rights and defense attorney (76)
- 2006 – Steve Irwin, Australian wildlife presenter (“The Crocodile Hunter”) (44)
- 2014 – Joan Rivers, comedian and television host (81)
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