Today in History
2001 23 die in the Jerusalem wedding hall disaster
When a portion of the third floor collapsed, hundreds of wedding guests fell two stories. It was Israel’s worst civil disaster.
1970 Engineers begin drilling the world’s deepest hole
The Kola Superdeep Borehole had reached an unrivaled depth of 12,262 meters (40,230 feet) before being abandoned due to a lack of funding.
1956 The first Eurovision Song Contest is held
Lys Assia of Switzerland won the first edition. The Eurovision Song Contest (ESC) is a major song contest in Europe and one of the world’s longest-running television programs. Each year, it is held in a different country.
1930 Amy Johnson flies solo from England to Australia
The first woman to accomplish this feat was the English aviatrix. Her 18,000 km (11,000 mi) flight from Croydon, UK to Darwin, Australia took 19 days.
1830 Mary Had a little lamb is published
Sarah Josepha Hale’s poem is one of the best-known English language nursery rhymes.
Births On This Day, May 24
1963 Michael Chabon
American author
1945 Priscilla Presley
American actress, businesswoman
1941 Bob Dylan
American singer-songwriter, guitarist, producer
1819 Queen Victoria
of the United Kingdom
1671 Gian Gastone de’ Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany
Deaths On This Day, May 24
2007 Bill Johnston
Australian cricketer
1974 Duke Ellington
American pianist, composer, bandleader
1632 Robert Hues
English mathematician, geographer
1543 Nicolaus Copernicus
Polish mathematician, astronomer
1153 David I of Scotland
