Vintage News · Odd history for April 8

What Happened On April 8

Q: What happened on April 8?

1886: William Ewart Gladstone introduces the first Irish Home Rule Bill into the British House of Commons. 1730: Shearith Israel, the first synagogue in continental North America, is dedicated. 2008: On board Soyuz TMA-12, Yi So-yeon became the first Korean astronaut. 1942: World War II: The United States Army Air Forces flew its first mission from India over the Hump (the eastern end of the Himalayas) to deliver materiel to China. 2024: Solar eclipse: A total solar eclipse takes place at the Moon's ascending node, visible across North America. 2005: A solar eclipse occurs, visible over areas of the Pacific Ocean and Latin American countries such as Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia and Venezuela. 2002: The Space Shuttle Atlantis is launched on mission STS-110, carrying the S0 truss to the International Space Station. Astronaut Jerry L. Ross also becomes the first person to fly on seven spaceflights. 1968: BOAC Flight 712 catches fire shortly after takeoff. As a result of her actions in the accident, Barbara Jane Harrison is awarded a posthumous George Cross, the only GC awarded to a woman in peacetime. 1954: South African Airways Flight 201: A de Havilland DH.106 Comet 1 crashes into the sea during night killing 21 people. 1864: American Civil War: Late-arriving reinforcements helped Confederate forces rout the Union Army at the Battle of Mansfield.

36 events and 242 births, refreshed daily. OddlyTrue's own archive for 8 April →

April 7 April 9

10 odd things that happened on April 8

1886 First ever
William Ewart Gladstone introduces the first Irish Home Rule Bill into the British House of Commons.
Read more →
Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0
1730 First ever
Shearith Israel, the first synagogue in continental North America, is dedicated.
Read more →
Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0
2008 First ever
On board Soyuz TMA-12, Yi So-yeon became the first Korean astronaut.
Read more →
Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0
1942 First ever
World War II: The United States Army Air Forces flew its first mission from India over the Hump (the eastern end of the Himalayas) to deliver materiel to China.
Read more →
Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0
2024 Oddly true
Solar eclipse: A total solar eclipse takes place at the Moon's ascending node, visible across North America.
Read more →
Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0
2005 Oddly true
A solar eclipse occurs, visible over areas of the Pacific Ocean and Latin American countries such as Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia and Venezuela.
Read more →
Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0
2002 First ever
The Space Shuttle Atlantis is launched on mission STS-110, carrying the S0 truss to the International Space Station. Astronaut Jerry L. Ross also becomes the first person to fly on seven spaceflights.
Read more →
Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0
1968 Oddly true
BOAC Flight 712 catches fire shortly after takeoff. As a result of her actions in the accident, Barbara Jane Harrison is awarded a posthumous George Cross, the only GC awarded to a woman in peacetime.
Read more →
Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0
1954 Oddly true
South African Airways Flight 201: A de Havilland DH.106 Comet 1 crashes into the sea during night killing 21 people.
Read more →
Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0
1864 Oddly true
American Civil War: Late-arriving reinforcements helped Confederate forces rout the Union Army at the Battle of Mansfield.
Read more →
Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0

Observed today

2026Operation Eternal Darkness: Hours after a ceasefire to the Iran war, Israeli attacks on Lebanon kill at least 357 and injures more than 1200 people in the largest airstrikes of the Lebanon war. Wikipedia →
2024Solar eclipse: A total solar eclipse takes place at the Moon's ascending node, visible across North America. Wikipedia →
2020Bernie Sanders ends his presidential campaign, leaving Joe Biden as the Democratic Party's nominee. Wikipedia →
2014Windows XP reaches its standard End Of Life and is no longer supported. Wikipedia →
2010U.S. President Barack Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev sign the New START Treaty. Wikipedia →
2005A solar eclipse occurs, visible over areas of the Pacific Ocean and Latin American countries such as Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia and Venezuela. Wikipedia →
2002The Space Shuttle Atlantis is launched on mission STS-110, carrying the S0 truss to the International Space Station. Astronaut Jerry L. Ross also becomes the first person to fly on seven spaceflights. Wikipedia →
1993The Space Shuttle Discovery is launched on mission STS-56. Wikipedia →
1990The conservative New Democracy party of Constantine Mitsotakis is elected in the Greek parliamentary election. Wikipedia →
1975Voyageurs National Park is established by the U.S. Congress. Wikipedia →
1974Hank Aaron passes Babe Ruth as the all-time leader in career home runs by hitting his 715th home run off of Al Downing at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium. Wikipedia →
1970Bahr El-Baqar primary school bombing: Israeli bombers strike an Egyptian school. Forty-six children are killed. Wikipedia →
1968BOAC Flight 712 catches fire shortly after takeoff. As a result of her actions in the accident, Barbara Jane Harrison is awarded a posthumous George Cross, the only GC awarded to a woman in peacetime. Wikipedia →
1960The Netherlands and West Germany sign an agreement to negotiate the return of German land annexed by the Dutch in return for 280 million German marks as Wiedergutmachung. Wikipedia →
1959A team of computer manufacturers, users, and university people led by Grace Hopper meets to discuss the creation of a new programming language that would be called COBOL. Wikipedia →
1959The Organization of American States drafts an agreement to create the Inter-American Development Bank. Wikipedia →
1954A Royal Canadian Air Force Canadair Harvard collides with a Trans-Canada Airlines Canadair North Star over Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, killing 37 people. Wikipedia →
1954South African Airways Flight 201: A de Havilland DH.106 Comet 1 crashes into the sea during night killing 21 people. Wikipedia →
1940The Central Committee of the Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party elects Yumjaagiin Tsedenbal as General Secretary, marking the beginning of his 44-year-long tenure as de facto leader of Mongolia. Wikipedia →
1933The Australian state of Western Australia votes to secede from the federation in a non-binding referendum, although efforts to implement the result prove unsuccessful. Wikipedia →
1904The French Third Republic and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland sign the Entente cordiale. Wikipedia →
1895In Pollock v. Farmers' Loan & Trust Co. the Supreme Court of the United States declares unapportioned income tax to be unconstitutional. Wikipedia →
1886William Ewart Gladstone introduces the first Irish Home Rule Bill into the British House of Commons. Wikipedia →
1866Austro-Prussian War: Italy and Prussia sign a secret alliance against the Austrian Empire. Wikipedia →
1832Black Hawk War: Around 300 United States 6th Infantry troops leave St. Louis, Missouri to fight the Sauk Native Americans. Wikipedia →
1820The Venus de Milo is discovered on the Aegean island of Milos. Wikipedia →
1812Czar Alexander I, the Russian Emperor and the Grand Duke of Finland, officially announces the transfer of the status of the Finnish capital from Turku to Helsinki. Wikipedia →
1730Shearith Israel, the first synagogue in continental North America, is dedicated. Wikipedia →
1605The city of Oulu, Finland, is founded by Charles IX of Sweden. Wikipedia →
1271Fall of Krak des Chevaliers: In Syria, sultan Baibars conquers the Krak des Chevaliers. Wikipedia →
1250Seventh Crusade: Ayyubids of Egypt capture King Louis IX of France in the Battle of Fariskur. Wikipedia →
1232Mongol–Jin War: The Mongols begin their siege on Kaifeng, the capital of the Jin dynasty. Wikipedia →
1143Manuel I Komnenos succeeds his father John II Komnenos as Byzantine Emperor. Wikipedia →
1139Roger II of Sicily is excommunicated by Innocent II for supporting Anacletus II as pope for seven years, even though Roger had already publicly recognized Innocent's claim to the papacy. Wikipedia →
876The Battle of Dayr al-'Aqul saves Baghdad from the Saffarids. Wikipedia →
217Roman emperor Caracalla is assassinated and is succeeded by his Praetorian Guard prefect, Marcus Opellius Macrinus. Wikipedia →

From The Guardian Archives — On This Day

2020The Guardian
British Museum looks to crack mystery over decorated ostrich eggs
Experts reexamine eggs – some dating back to bronze age – to understand origins and designs
Read on The Guardian →
2014The Guardian
Moscow may be planning intervention in eastern Ukraine, US warns
John Kerry fears potential Crimea-style action after pro-Russian forces cement control of government building in Donetsk
Read on The Guardian →
1975The New York Times
The Screen:'Engagement of Anna,' on Bourgeois Greece
Anna (Anna Vagena) is a fine sturdy woman in her early 20's. Her eyes are large and dark, and she would be beautiful…
Read on NYTimes.com →

Headlines via The Guardian Open Platform · Historic front pages via the NYT Archive API

Facts from Wikipedia On This Day API (CC BY-SA 4.0) via Wikimedia. Thumbnails CC BY-SA. Headlines via The Guardian Open Platform and the NYT Archive API. Historic pages via Library of Congress Chronicling America. Curated by OddlyTrue.