What happened on this day in history: The Salem witch trials begin, Hattie McDaniel becomes the first Black person to win an Academy Award, and more.
46 B.C.E.: The First Leap Day Is Recognized
The first leap day is recognized after the adoption of the Julian Calendar. Created by Julius Caesar, it was somewhat similar to the Egyptian model but with a key difference: Instead of watching astronomical objects to determine when an intercalary month needed to be inserted, the Julian Calendar would include an extra day in February every fourth year.
1692: The Salem Witch Trials Begin
Bettmann/Getty ImagesA depiction of the Salem witch trials, which led to 25 deaths.
Three women are accused of being witches in Salem, Massachusetts, marking the beginning of the Salem witch trials. The women, Tituba, Sarah Good, and Sarah Osborne, faced charges of witchcraft after girls in town, including nine-year-old Elizabeth Parris and 11-year-old Abigail Williams, started having mysterious “fits.” Tituba escaped persecution by confessing to being a witch — and implicating other alleged witches — but Osborne died in jail and Good was hanged.
1940: Hattie McDaniel Wins An Oscar
Hattie McDaniel wins the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her role as Mammy in Gone With The Wind. The first Black person to win an Oscar, McDaniel told the crowd: “I sincerely hope that I shall always be a credit to my race and the motion picture industry.” However, she continued to face racism despite her win and struggled to find roles that differed from Mammy.
1960: Richard Ramirez Is Born
Bettmann/Getty ImagesRichard Ramirez makes a gesture while in court in 1985.
Richard Ramirez is born in El Paso, Texas. A serial killer known as the Night Stalker, Ramirez operated in California between 1984 and 1985. After his arrest, he was convicted of 13 counts of murder, five attempted murders, 11 sexual assaults, and 14 burglaries. He died in 2013 while awaiting execution on death row.
2000: Katherine Knight Kills John Price
Katherine Knight kills her lover John Price in Australia. Knight had a troubled upbringing and a string of failed and often violent relationships before meeting John Price. After an argument with Price, Knight became enraged and plotted to kill him. Days later, Knight stabbed him 37 times in the chest, and in a horrific turn of events, she cooked his body parts and served it to his children. Police quickly arrested her for the crime, and she became the first woman in Australian history to receive a sentence of life in prison.
