Monthly Archives: April 2025

Lee’s Confederate armies almost entirely surrounded, outnumbered 160 years ago tonight (Apr 8 1865)

1860s, American Civil War


Video: 'Ken.Burns.The.Civil.War.8of9.War.Is.All.Hell' (Apr. 8, 1865, at 50:04)

(Saturday, April 8, 1865, evening local time; during the Appomattox Campaign of the American Civil War) — Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee and his weary lieutenants gathered around a campfire tonight near the little village of Appomattox Courthouse and found themselves almost entirely surrounded, outnumbered nearly five to one and without hope of resupply or reinforcement. Continue reading Lee’s Confederate armies almost entirely surrounded, outnumbered 160 years ago tonight (Apr 8 1865) →

John Lennon interviewed by Tom Snyder for NBC-TV’s ‘Tomorrow’ talk show 50 years ago this hour (Apr 8 1975)

1970s, Popular Music 1970s, Television 1970s, The Beatles 1970s


Video: 'John Lennon on The Tomorrow Show - 04/08/1975 - Full Interview - [ remastered, 60FPS, HD ]'

(Tuesday, April 8, 1975, around 8:00 p.m. EDT) — Former Beatle John Lennon was interviewed by Tom Snyder today at NBC Studios, 30 Rockefeller Center in the Midtown Manhattan neighborhood of New York City for the Apr. 29, 1975 (airing at 1:00 a.m. EDT), edition of NBC’s Tomorrow program to promote his latest album Rock ‘N’ Roll.

President Franklin Roosevelt signs work relief bill 80 years ago this hour (Apr 8 1935)

1930s, U.S. Presidents


Video: 'History Brief: The Works Progress Administration (WPA)'

(Monday, April 8, 1935, 4:00 p.m. EST; during the Great Depression) — U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt today signed the Emergency Relief Appropriations Act, which provided money for programs such as the Works Progress Administration. Continue reading President Franklin Roosevelt signs work relief bill 80 years ago this hour (Apr 8 1935) →

John Lennon performs two songs for ‘Old Grey Whistle Test’ 50 years ago today (Apr 8 1975)

1970s, Popular Music 1970s, Television 1970s, The Beatles 1970s


Video: 'John Lennon Stand By Me + Slippin' and Slidin' - Old Grey Whistle Test (Raw Footage) - 8 April 1975'

(Tuesday, April 8, 1975) — Former Beatle John Lennon performed live vocal/guitar (along with a pre-recorded backing track) versions of “Stand By Me” and “Slippin’ And Slidin'” today at The Record Plant East in New York City for the Apr. 18, 1975, edition of the BBC2’s Old Grey Whistle Test program to promote his latest album Rock ‘N’ Roll. Continue reading John Lennon performs two songs for ‘Old Grey Whistle Test’ 50 years ago today (Apr 8 1975) →

Eleanor Roosevelt writes to FDR, ‘I am so glad you are gaining’ 80 years ago today (Apr 8 1945)

1940s, U.S. Presidents, World War II


Video: 'American Experience FDR Parts 3 and 4' (Apr. 8, 1945, at 2:10:20)

(Sunday, April 8, 1945; during World War II) — First lady Eleanor Roosevelt, in Hyde Park, New York, today wrote a letter to her husband, U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt, who was recuperating from exhaustion in Warm Springs, Georgia: “I am so glad you are gaining. You sounded cheerful for the first time last night, and I hope you weigh 170 pounds when you return. Devotedly, E.R.”

Abraham, Mary Lincoln drive together past a country cemetery at Petersburg 160 years ago today (Apr 8 1865)

1860s, American Civil War, U.S. Presidents


Video: 'Ken.Burns.The.Civil.War.8of9.War.Is.All.Hell' (Apr. 8, 1865, at 45:57)

(Saturday, April 8, 1865; during the Appomattox Campaign of the American Civil War) — U.S. President Abraham Lincoln and First Lady Mary Lincoln took a drive together today past a country cemetery on the outskirts of Petersburg, Virginia.

LBJ makes offers to start Vietnam peace talks unconditionally 60 years ago this hour (Apr 7 1965)

1960s, Cold War, Television 1960s, Vietnam War


Video: 'President Johnson's Remarks on Vietnam at Johns Hopkins University, 4/7/65. MP549.'

(Wednesday, April 7, 1965, 9:00 p.m. EST; during the Vietnam War, part of the Indochina Wars and the Cold War) — U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson said tonight that the United States was ready to begin, without prior conditions, diplomatic discussions to end the war in Vietnam. Continue reading LBJ makes offers to start Vietnam peace talks unconditionally 60 years ago this hour (Apr 7 1965) →

Grant asks Lee to surrender to avoid ‘any further effusion of blood’ 160 years ago this hour (Apr 7 1865)

1860s, American Civil War


Video: 'Ken.Burns.The.Civil.War.8of9.War.Is.All.Hell' (Apr. 7, 1865, at 49:31)

(Friday, April 7, 1865, 5:00 p.m. local time; during the Appomattox Campaign of the American Civil War) — As Union forces under Gen. Ulysses Grant pursued the Confederate army under Gen. Robert E. Lee along the Appomattox River, Grant initiated a series of dispatches between between the two commanders: Continue reading Grant asks Lee to surrender to avoid ‘any further effusion of blood’ 160 years ago this hour (Apr 7 1865) →

The Beatles film pub cellar sequence for feature film 60 years ago today (Apr 7 1965)

1960s, Movies 1960s, Popular Music 1960s, The Beatles 1960s

Video: 'Good lord, it's Rajah, the famous Bengal man-eater who escaped from London Zoo this...'

(Wednesday, April 7, 1965) — The pub cellar sequence for The Beatles’ second feature film, Help!, was filmed today at Twickenham Film Studios in England. Continue reading The Beatles film pub cellar sequence for feature film 60 years ago today (Apr 7 1965) →

‘My Dreams Are Getting Better All the Time’ by Les Brown Orchestra peaks at #1 in USA 80 years ago today (Apr 7 1945)

1940s, Popular Music 1940s

(Saturday, April 7, 1945) — “My Dreams Are Getting Better All the Time” by the Les Brown Orchestra (with a vocal by Doris Day) was the #1 song on today’s Billboard Best Selling Retail Records chart for seven consecutive weeks (Apr. 7/14/21/28, May 5/12/19, 1945).