Today in History
2012 – Assassination Attempt on Malala Yousafzai
The Pakistani education activist was shot at and injured while returning home from school. Malala survived the attack and has since become one of the leading voices for girls’ education in the world. In 2014, at the age of 17, she received the Nobel Peace Prize along with Kailash Satyarthi, making her the youngest recipient of the prestigious award.
1986 – Phantom of Opera makes its theatrical debut
The musical written by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Richard Stilgoe opened at Her Majesty’s Theatre in London’s West End. The musical’s plot was inspired by French author Gaston Leroux’s novel Le Fantôme de l’Opéra, which follows the life of Erik or the Phantom, a disfigured musical genius. The musical is the longest-running show on Broadway.
1970 – Khmer Republic established
The Khmer Republic was formally established under the leadership of General Lon Nol and Prince Sisowath Sirik Matak. These two leaders took power earlier in took power in a coup against Prince Norodom Sihanouk
1962 – Ugandan independence
Uganda gained independence from British rule. The country had become a British protectorate in 1894, 32 years after the first European, British John Hanning Speke set foot in the country. Milton Obote became the first prime minister of an independent Uganda.
1874 – General Postal Union Created
The precursor the Universal Postal Union, a specialized agency of the United Nations, was formed after 22 countries signed the Treaty of Bern. The treaty regulated international mail and postage. 4 years later, in 1878, the union changed its name to the Universal Postal Union to reflect the growing international membership of the group.
Births On This Day, October 9
1970 – Annika Sörenstam
Swedish golfer
1969 – PJ Harvey
English singer-songwriter, guitarist, producer
1966 – David Cameron
English politician, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
1940 – John Lennon
English singer-songwriter, musician, producer
1888 – Nikolai Bukharin
Russian politician
Deaths On This Day, October 9
2004 – Jacques Derrida
French philosopher
1978 – Jacques Brel
Belgian singer-songwriter, actor
1974 – Oskar Schindler
Czech/German businessman
1967 – Che Guevara
Argentine/Cuban physician, author, intellectual, diplomat, theorist
1958 – Pope Pius XII