Video: 'Texas City Explosion 1947-04-16 Universal Newsreel; Texas City Disaster'
(Wednesday, April 16, 1947, 9:12 a.m. CST) — The French cargo ship Grandcamp, carrying ammonium nitrate fertilizer, caught fire and blew up today at the harbor in Texas City, Texas, devastating the town. Continue reading Nearly 600 killed as blasts and fires wreck Texas City, Texas 70 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Apr 16 1947)
Video: 'The Great War episode 5 Mutiny'(April 16, 1917, at 18:31)
(Monday, April 16, 1917; during the on the Western Front of World War I) — Siegfried Sassoon, an officer in the Royal Welch Fusiliers and one of Britain’s greatest war poets, was wounded by a German sniper today while leading his company in an attack at Fontaine-les-Croisilles. Continue reading Siegfried Sassoon wounded by a German sniper at Fontaine-les-Croisilles 100 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Apr 16 1917)
Video: 'Shooting tragedy on the campus of Virginia Tech in 2007'
(Monday, April 16, 2007, 7:15 a.m.-9:51 a.m. EDT) — College senior Seung-Hui Cho killed 32 people were killed and another 23 injured today at Virginia Polytechnic Institute in Blacksburg, Virginia, before taking his own life after nearly three hours of horror and chaos. Continue reading Gunman kills 32 at Virginia Tech before taking his own life 10 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Apr 16 2007)
Video: 'The Great War episode 5 Mutiny' (April 16, 1917, at 27:47)
(Monday, April 16, 1917, 6:00 a.m. CEST) — The Nivelle Offensive, a massive Franco-British offensive on the Western Front in the First World War, was launched today by General Robert Nivelle, commander of the French armies, deploying some 1.2 million soldiers and 7,000 artillery pieces, with which he promised to break the German line within 48 hours. Continue reading Nivelle Offensive begins in northern France 100 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Apr 16 1917)
Video: 'April 15, 1947 Jackie Robinson makes His MLB Debut'
(Tuesday, April 15, 1947, 2:00 p.m. EST) — Jack Roosevelt “Jackie” Robinson, 28, became the first African American to play in Major League Baseball (MLB) in the modern era today when he made his official debut with the Brooklyn Dodgers on opening day at Ebbets Field before a crowd of 26,623 spectators, more than 14,000 of whom were black. Continue reading Jackie Robinson breaks baseball’s color line, debuts with Dodgers this hour 70 years ago#OnThisDay #OTD (Apr 15 1947)
Video: 'Peace March. Thousands Oppose Vietnam War, April 18, 1967 (Universal Newsreel)'
(Saturday, April 15, 1967; during the Vietnam War, part of the Indochina Wars and the Cold War) — An estimated 100,000 to 125,000 anti-war demonstrators marched through the streets of Manhattan today and then massed in front of the United Nations building to hear U.S. policy in Vietnam denounced in speeches by Martin Luther King, Jr., Floyd McKissick, Stokely Carmichael and Dr. Benjamin Spock. Continue reading Massive anti-Vietnam war protests held in New York and San Francisco 50 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Apr 15 1967)
(Saturday, April 15, 1967) — “Somethin’ Stupid” by Nancy Sinatra and Frank Sinatra peaked at #1 on today’s Billboard Hot 100 singles chart for four consecutive weeks (Apr. 15/22/29, May 6, 1967).
(Saturday, April 15, 1967) — “This Is My Song” by Petula Clark peaked at #3 on today’s Billboard Hot 100 singles chart for one week. Continue reading ‘This Is My Song’ by Petula Clark peaks at #3 in USA 50 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Apr 15 1967)
(Saturday, April 15, 1967) — “I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You)” by Aretha Franklin peaked at #9 on today’s Billboard Hot 100 singles chart for two weeks and ranked #189 on Rolling Stone‘s list of the “500 Greatest Songs of All Time.”
(Saturday, April 15, 1967) — “Jimmy Mack” by Martha and the Vandellas peaked at #10 on today’s Billboard Hot 100 singles chart for three weeks.
