Osun Defender History Corner: April 8 In Focus

Today, on the history corner, we take a trip in the realm of flashbacks and recall some events that marked this day.

April 8, 1730

The first Jewish congregation in the United States, Shearith Israel, was dedicated in New York City.

April 8, 1820

The Venus de Milo was discovered on the Aegean island of Milos by a peasant named Yorgos Kentrotas.

April 8, 1864

The United States Senate passed the 13th Amendment to the Constitution, abolishing slavery.

April 8, 1904

The French newspaper L’Auto sponsored the first Tour de France bicycle race.

April 8, 1913

The 17th Amendment to the United States Constitution, providing for the direct election of senators, was ratified.

April 8, 1952

U.S. President Harry Truman seized steel mills to prevent a nationwide strike.

April 8, 1964

Gemini 1, the first unmanned test flight of the Gemini spacecraft, was launched by NASA.

April 8, 1974

Hank Aaron of the Atlanta Braves hit his 715th career home run, breaking Babe Ruth’s record.

April 8, 1990

Ryan White, the teenage AIDS patient whose battle for acceptance gained national attention, died at age 18.

April 8, 1992

Retired tennis great Arthur Ashe announced that he had AIDS, acquired from a blood transfusion during heart surgery.

April 8, 1993

The Republic of Macedonia joined the United Nations.

April 8, 2005

Over four million people attended the funeral of Pope John Paul II in Rome, Italy.

April 8, 2013

SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket launched its second mission to the International Space Station.

April 8, 2015

India’s Supreme Court recognized transgender people as a third gender, affirming equal rights and access to education and employment.

April 8, 2016

The Panama Papers, a massive leak of confidential documents, revealed how wealthy individuals and public officials used offshore accounts for tax evasion and money laundering.

April 8, 2018

A bus carrying the Humboldt Broncos ice hockey team collided with a semi-trailer in Saskatchewan, Canada, resulting in 16 deaths and 13 injuries.

April 8, 2019

Scientists revealed the first-ever image of a black hole, captured by the Event Horizon Telescope.

April 8, 2020

Oil prices plummeted into negative territory for the first time in history as demand collapsed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

April 8, 2021

Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, husband of Queen Elizabeth II, died at the age of 99.

April 8, 2022

The United States, European Union, and some other countries announced a diplomatic boycott of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, China, due to human rights concerns.

Please note that these are just a few historical events that happened on April 8. History is full of numerous other significant events on this day, ranging from politics and warfare to cultural and scientific milestones.