April 18th

Today in America's Present Past

1676 | Indian Wars: Sudbury, Massachusetts, attacked by Indians.

1688 | Civil Rights: “Germantown Quaker Petition Against Slavery" An early petition against slavery in British colonies.

A depiction of the Boston Revolt, where colonists arrested the British “Governor.”

1689 | The Boston Revolt.

1775 | War of Independence: The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere and William Dawes.

1783 | War of Independence: General Washington issues General Orders announcing the end of hostilities with Britain.

1813 | African-American doctor James McCune Smith was born.

A depiction of the Battle of Cerro Gordo

1848 | Mexican-American War: U.S.victory at the Battle of Cerro Gordo.

1853 | Politician William R. King died.

1857 | Lawyer Clarence Darrow was born.

1861 | Civil War: Colonel Robert E. Lee turns down an offer to command Union armies.

1862 Civil War: Battle of Fort Jackson, Fort St Philip & New Orleans, Louisiana.

1865 Civil War: Confederate General Joseph E. Johnston surrenders to General William T. Sherman in North Carolina

1879 | Civil Rights: Trial of Standing Bear-Crook begins.

A picture viewing Nobs Hill after the 1906 earthquake.

1906 | San Francisco, California experiences a massive earthquake.

1906 | The Los Angeles Times story on the Azusa Street Revival launches Pentecostalism as a religious movement.

1915 | Author Joy Davidman was born.

1918 | Publisher Cliff Hillegass was born.

1921 | Junior Achievement formed in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

1924 | Simon & Schuster publishes the first crossword puzzle book.

1924 | Politician Henry Hyde was born.

1942 | Art Patron Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney died.

1942 | WWII” The Doolittle Raids on mainland Japan begin.

A depiction of the P-38 taking town Admiral Yamamotto’s aircraft.

1943 | WWII: U.S. P-38G aircraft intercept Isoroku Yamamoto’s aircraft and successfully destroy it. Yamamoto planned the attack on Pearl Harbor.

1944 | Robert Hassen, FBI agent turned Soviet Spy, was born.

1945 | Journalist Ernie Pyle died.

1947 | Actor James Wood was born.

1955 | Albert Einstein died.

1956 | Entrepreneur Floyd Smith died.

1958 | U.S. federal court rules that poet Ezra Pound is to be released from an insane asylum.

1963 | Comedian Conan O’Brien was born.

1977 | Author Alex Haley was awarded the Pulitzer Prize.

1983 | Author Alice Walker was awarded the Pulitzer Prize.

2012 | Entertainer Dick Clark died.