1997
Culture
Princess Diana Dies
Diana, Princess of Wales, died in a car crash in the Pont de l'Alma tunnel in Paris at age 36. Her death prompted an unprecedented outpouring of public grief and a crisis for the British monarchy.
On This Day in History
1957
Politics
Malaya Gains Independence
The Federation of Malaya gained independence from Britain, with Tunku Abdul Rahman as the first prime minister. Malaya later joined with Singapore, Sabah, and Sarawak to form Malaysia.
1888
Culture
Jack the Ripper's First Victim
Mary Ann Nichols was found murdered in Whitechapel, London, becoming the first canonical victim attributed to Jack the Ripper. The unidentified serial killer terrorized London and remains history's most famous unsolved case.
12
Politics
Caligula Born
Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus Germanicus, known as Caligula, was born. He became Roman Emperor in 37 AD and his reign became notorious for cruelty and extravagance before his assassination in 41 AD.
1939
War & Conflict
Gleiwitz Incident
Nazi SS troops staged a false flag attack on a German radio station near the Polish border. The fabricated incident was used by Hitler as a pretext to justify the invasion of Poland the next day.
1886
Disaster
Charleston Earthquake
A magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck Charleston, South Carolina, the most powerful earthquake to hit the eastern United States. The quake killed 60 people and damaged over 2,000 buildings.
1962
Politics
Trinidad and Tobago Gains Independence
The Caribbean nation gained independence from Britain with Eric Williams as its first prime minister. The twin-island nation brought its rich cultural heritage of Carnival and calypso to the world stage.