Anniversaries and commemorations come and go daily. Most of us, even the best historians, miss most occasions. If we think of history as events then we are faced with a continually showering in the grains of sand. Nevertheless, we do pick out certain patterns in the remembrance of historical dates. The blog here reminds us of some dates where the local, state, national, and global perspectives entwine.
On 2, Tuesday April 1844, The Fleet Prison for debtors in London is closed, marking a significant milestone in the country’s human rights record.
On 2, Friday April 1869, Hughie Jennings, American baseball player, born (d. 1928)
On 2, Friday April 1869, Christian Erich Hermann von Meyer, German palaeontologist, died (b. 1801)
On 2, Sunday April 1944, WWII: Ascq massacre members of the 12th SS Panzer Division Hitlerjugend shoot 85 civilians suspected of blowing up their train on its approach to the Gare d’Ascq in France.
On 2, Sunday April 1944, John Batchelor, British missionary and reverend, died (b. 1855)
On 2, Thursday April 1959, Badou Zaki, Moroccan football player and manager, born
On 2, Thursday April 1959, Nicholas Charnetsky, Soviet Orthodox priest, bishop, martyr and blessed, died (b. 1884)
On 2, Wednesday April 1969, Ajay Devgan, Bollywood actor, born
On 2, Wednesday April 1969, Fortunio Bonanova, Spanish actor and singer, died (b. 1895)
On 2, Monday April 1979, Sverdlovsk anthrax leak: A Soviet biowarfare laboratory at Sverdlovsk accidentally releases airborne anthrax spores, killing 66 plus an unknown amount of livestock. It is a violation of the Biological Weapons Convention of 1972.
On 2, Monday April 1979, Lindy Booth, Canadian actress, born
On 2, Monday April 1979, Jesse Carmichael, American musician (Maroon 5), born
On 2, Monday April 1979, Grace Fortescue, American socialite, died (b. 1883)
On 2, Sunday April 1989, In South-West Africa, fighting erupts between SWAPO insurgents and the South West African Police on the day that a ceasefire was supposed to end the South African Border War according to United Nations Security Council Resolution 435. By April 6, nearly 300 people are killed.
On 2, Sunday April 1989, Liis Lass, Estonian actress, born
On 2, Sunday April 1989, Midhun Jith, Martial artist, Guinness World Records breaker & World Kickboxing Champion, born
On 2, Saturday April 1994, The National Convention of New Sudan of the SPLA/M opens in Chukudum.
On 2, Saturday April 1994, Betty Furness, American actress, author, and consumer advocate, died (b. 1916)
On 2, Friday April 1999, Sophie Reynolds, American actress, born
On 2, Wednesday April 2014, Everett De Roche, 67, screenwriter, died
Other On This Day days in history
Neville Buch
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