Harriet Tubman – To the left, with family and neighbors, circa 1887, at her home in Auburn, NY. Left to right: Harriet Tubman; Gertie Davis {Watson} (adopted daughter born 1874, ) behind Tubman; Nelson Davis (husband and 8th USCT veteran); Lee Chaney (neighbor’s child); “Pop” John Alexander (elderly brother in Tubman’s home); Walter Green (neighbor’s child); Blind “Aunty” Sarah Parker (elderly brother); Dora Stewart (great-niece and granddaughter of Tubman’s brother Robert Ross aka John Stewart).

More Events On This Day

2008

American race car driver Danica Patrick won the IndyCar 300, becoming the first woman to win an IndyCar championship event.Test your knowledge of auto racing

PRNewsFoto—Rahal Letterman Racing/Proctor Gamble/AP

1999

Two disgruntled and heavily armed students entered Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado, and murdered 13 people before killing themselves.

Laura Rauch/AP

1968

Pierre Elliott Trudeau of the Liberal Party became prime minister of Canada; in that post, he discouraged the French separatist movement, oversaw the formation of a new constitution, and established relations with China.Sort fact from fiction in our Canada quiz

Nationaal Archief

1949

American actress Jessica Lange, who was known for her versatility and intelligent performances, was born.Take our actors and acting quiz

© Matt Baron—BEI/REX/Shutterstock.com

1924

Finalizing the dissolution of the Ottoman Empire, Turkey's Grand National Assembly voted to adopt a full republican constitution, with General Mustafa Kemal, who had first proclaimed the Turkish republic about six months earlier, becoming the first president of the republic.Watch an overview of Turkey

 

1920

U.S. Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens was born in Chicago.Why are there nine justices on the U.S. Supreme Court?

Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. (neg. no. LC-USZC6-29)

1919

In an ongoing dispute over the possession of Vilnius, Polish forces drove out Russia's Red Army—which had previously ousted the newly established Lithuanian government—and occupied the city.Sort fact from fiction in our European history quiz

Lulius

1912

Navin Field (later called Tiger Stadium) in Detroit and Fenway Park in Boston officially opened as both hosted their first professional baseball games; Tiger Stadium closed in 1999, leaving Fenway as the oldest baseball stadium in Major League Baseball.How much do you know about baseball?

© Jason Figert/Shutterstock.com

1871

Japan's first government-operated postal service opened between Tokyo and Ōsaka.Sort fact from fiction in our Japanese history quiz

 

1840

French Symbolist painter Odilon Redon was born in Bordeaux.From symbolism to sculpture, test your knowledge of art

Photograph by Trish Mayo. Museum of Modern Art, New York City, gift of Mrs. Werner E. Josten in memory of her husband

1808

Napoleon III, president of the Second Republic (1850–52) and emperor of France (1852–70), was born in Paris.Take our quiz about French history

H. Roger-Viollet

1653

England's Rump Parliament was dissolved by Oliver Cromwell and later replaced by the nominated Barebones Parliament, which was dissolved in the same year, leading to the declaration of the Protectorate.