What happened today in history: The Dominican Republic declares independence, Elizabeth Taylor is born, and more important events that happened on this day throughout history.
1827: The First New Orleans Mardi Gras Celebration Takes Place
Bettmann/Getty ImagesAn 1873 depiction of Mardi Gras in New Orleans, published in Harper’s Weekly.
The first widespread Mardi Gras celebrations take place in New Orleans, Louisiana. A tradition that evolved from ancient festivals before it marked the beginning of the Christian season of Lent, Mardi Gras has evolved significantly over the centuries. Today, the Mardi Gras festivities in New Orleans — famous for parades, masquerades, and all manner of revelry — draw around 2 million people.
1844: The Dominican Republic Declares Independence
The Dominican Republic declares independence. Previously ruled by the French and the Spanish, the country eventually proclaimed that it was an independent nation from its neighboring country, Haiti. Though Haiti controlled the Dominican Republic at that time, the Dominican War of Independence led to the official separation of the two.
1932: Elizabeth Taylor Is Born
Silver Screen Collection/Getty ImagesElizabeth Taylor was famous for her accomplishments as an actress and for her seven husbands.
Elizabeth Taylor is born in London, England. An Oscar-winning actress, Taylor achieved renown for her performances in films like National Velvet (1944), Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958), and Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966). In addition to her skills as a thespian, Taylor also became known for her violet eyes and her eight marriages to seven different men — all but one of which ended in divorce.
1961: Joe Gallo Kidnaps Members Of The Profaci Crime Family
New York mobster Joe Gallo kidnaps high-ranking members of his own criminal organization, the Profaci crime family, to demand that less tribute be kicked up to Mafia bosses. This incident would spark the First Colombo War.
1962: The Presidential Palace In Saigon Is Bombed
Independence Palace in Saigon, South Vietnam, is bombed by two dissidents from the Republic of Vietnam Air Force. The dissidents had hoped to assassinate the president, Ngô Đình Diệm, but he escaped the attack. Three palace staff members died, however, and 30 other people were injured.
2003: Fred Rogers Dies At 74
Beloved television icon Fred Rogers dies at age 74 following a battle with stomach cancer. He perished peacefully inside his Pittsburgh home with his wife of 50 years, Joanne, by his side. Immediately, tributes came from all corners of the country.
Some remembered his powerful 1969 broadcast where he challenged the color barrier by sharing a foot bath with a Black policeman named Officer Clemmons, and even washed his feet. Others recalled Rogers’ testimony in front of Congress that same year, when he helped persuade lawmakers to preserve federal funding for public broadcasting as opposed to allowing the Nixon administration to cut the budget by 50 percent. In the end, everyone agreed that the revered host of “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood” had forever changed the face of children’s television.
2012: T.J. Lane Perpetrates The Chardon High School Shooting
Jeff Swensen/Getty ImagesMemorial for the victims of the Chardon High School shooting.
T.J. Lane, 17, perpetrates the Chardon High School shooting that left three students dead. Known as a “troubled kid,” T.J. Lane grew up in a dysfunctional household and often kept to himself. Two months before the shooting, Lane wrote disturbing messages on Facebook that largely went ignored. Then, at 7:30 a.m., Lane stormed the school’s cafeteria and opened fire, killing three people and injuring three others. Two teachers ended his shooting spree by wrestling him to the ground. The court ultimately sentenced him to three life terms in prison, one for each life he took.
