When it comes to momentous events in history, April 14th has more than its fair share. From terrible disasters to noteworthy publications and revolutionary inventions to tragic shootings, we find plenty of events of historic importance on this day in history.
In this collection of photos, you will find 10 events that occurred on April 14th.
Abraham Lincoln Was Shot by John Wilkes Booth – 1865
On April 14, 1865, President Abraham Lincoln and his wife were enjoying a presentation of Our American Cousin from their lofty seats of Ford’s Theatre’s presidential box when the unthinkable occurred. John Wilkes Booth, a prominent Washington D.C. actor, crept into Lincoln’s box and shot the president at point blank range in the back of the head.
Chaos ensued as Booth dramatically leapt to the stage – breaking his leg in the process – and shouted about tyranny before making his escape. Gravely injured, Lincoln was taken to a boarding house across the street where he died the next day. He was the first U.S. president to be assassinated while in office.
The Titanic Hit an Iceberg – 1912
On its maiden voyage across the Atlantic Ocean, the posh luxury liner, the RMS Titanic, approached the coast of Newfoundland on April 14, 1912. According to later reports, the captain and crew disregarded the warnings from other ships about icebergs in the area.
On the evening of April 15, 1912, a lookout sent a frantic message about an iceberg in the Titanic’s path. The captain tried to slow and turn the vessel, but it was too late. The luxury liner collided with the iceberg. In the early hours of the next day, the ship, which had been called “unsinkable” sank to the ocean’s bottom, taking about 1,500 people with it.
Noah Webster Published the First American Dictionary – 1828
If you know the definition of the words “lexicographer” and “compendious,” you can thank Noah Webster. This Yale-educated scholar, writer, editor, and lexicographer copyrighted the first American dictionary, A Compendious Dictionary of the English Language, on April 14, 1828.
This pivotal reference guide helped to standardize the spellings of words across the country and has been a go-to resource for writers, editors, and students ever since. In fact, Webster’s name is now synonymous with the dictionary today.
The Completion of the Human Genome Project – 2003
One of the scientific community’s biggest and most significant projects, the Human Genome Project involved a team of international scientists and researchers who worked tirelessly to map and sequence all the genes in the human genome. The Human Genome Project was completed on April 14, 2003.
Before their task was completed, the scientists deciphered roughly three billion base pairs of DNA … a huge endeavor. But it was worth it. The completion of the Human Genome Project has paved the way for advances in medicine, chemistry, and biology. It gives doctors a new tool for diagnosing diseases and disorders and allows them to better treat patients.
Bill Nye the Science Guy Made His TV Debut – 1993
Nerdy, geeky Bill Nye, who has a degree in mechanical engineering, is as much a performer as he is a scientist. In fact, he did stand-up comedy in the late 1970s and early 1980s while working as an engineer at Boeing. He found the perfect way to bring his two interests together.
The pilot for Nye’s television show, Bill Nye the Science Guy, debuted on April 14, 1993. Since then, he has amassed a following of fans who look to him to answer their science questions in an honest, accurate, non-biased way.
The Dust Bowl Began with Black Sunday – 1935
Over-farming, poor soil management, and drought conditions combined to create the biggest man made disaster in American history … the Dust Bowl. It began on April 14, 1935, when a “black blizzard,” or dust storm, swept across several states in the Great Plains region.
It has been estimated that about 300 thousand tons of soil from the prairies of the Plains states blew away on April 14, 1935, a day that became known as “Black Sunday.” The Dust Bowl added to the economic strife of the Great Depression.
Dr. John Harvey Kellogg Received a Patent for His Flaked Cereal – 1896
Dr. John Harvey Kellogg of Battle Creek, Michigan, was a man ahead of his time with some radical – for his day – ideas about health. For example, he advocated eating a vegetarian diet, getting fresh air, and washing one’s hands. In his quest to develop a healthy, vegetarian alternative to the traditional breakfasts of eggs, sausage, and bacon, he developed a recipe and a technique for making dried “flaked cereal.”
On April 14, 1896, he received a patent for the cereal and the process by which it was made. Although John Kellogg was the only one listed on the patent, his brother William, insisted that he helped invent the cereal. The brothers each started their own companies to manufacture breakfast cereal. The Kellogg’s company today was the one that Will Kellogg started. The Kellogg brothers are credited with launching the breakfast cereal industry.
The Old West’s Four Dead in Five Seconds Gunfight – 1881
The Old West had its share of gunfights and most of them lasted only a brief time, despite what Hollywood westerns would have us believe. One particular gunfight, that occurred on April 14, 1881, was over in just about five seconds. In that short time, however, four men were killed … three of them by the same gunslinger.
The Four Dead in Five Seconds gunfight took place in El Paso, Texas. Dallas Stoudenmire, a well-known gunfighter, had accepted the job as town marshal in El Paso just three days earlier. When he heard the commotion of a fight in the streets, he ran out with his guns blazing. He shot and killed three or the four men in quick fashion with his twin .44 Smith & Wesson revolvers.
Motown Records Was Founded – 1960
Music producer Berry Gordy Jr. founded a record company called Tamla Record in 1959, but he had bigger plans for his new label, and he wanted a name that people would remember. On April 14, 1961, he reorganized and renamed his Detroit studio and incorporated it as Motown Record Corporation.
Many popular singers recorded under the Motown name, including The Temptations, The Supremes, Smokey Robinson, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, and Michael Jackson. Still going strong today, Motown built its reputation on R&B, soul, and hip-hop music.
Edgar Allan Poe Introduced the Detective Story Genre – 1841
American writer Edgar Allan Poe often added a macabre or dark twist to his novels and short stories, but did you know that he is credited with publishing the first detective story? On April 14, 1841, Poe published The Murders in The Rue Morgue as a short story in Graham’s Magazine.
The Murders in The Rue Morgue follows the adventures of a Frenchman, C. Auguste Dupin, as he uncovers clues to solve a murder mystery. As the first story to take the reader along as an investigator solves a crime, The Murders in The Rue Morgue has been called the first detective story.
