April 6, 1896: The First Modern Olympics Open in Athens April 6, 1896: The First Modern Olympics Open in Athens
The Games arrived, The Nation reported, “at a time when the frivolous policy of the best of Greek statesmen has landed the Greek kingdom in the slough of bankruptcy, and done the w...
Apr 6, 2015 / Richard Kreitner and The Almanac
April 5, 1992: The Siege of Sarajevo Begins April 5, 1992: The Siege of Sarajevo Begins
"The shared experience of being, along with the city’s inhabitants, a sort of dead man on leave," Christopher Hitchens wrote, "makes for leveling of the more j...
Apr 5, 2015 / Richard Kreitner and The Almanac
April 4, 1968: Martin Luther King Jr. Is Assassinated April 4, 1968: Martin Luther King Jr. Is Assassinated
“You have to weep for this country.”
Apr 4, 2015 / Richard Kreitner and The Almanac
April 3, 1996: Ted Kaczynski, the Unabomber, Is Arrested April 3, 1996: Ted Kaczynski, the Unabomber, Is Arrested
“I would agree with the Unabomber’s general position that ‘revolution is necessary.’ But I can’t figure out at all what kind of revolution this is to ...
Apr 3, 2015 / Richard Kreitner and The Almanac
April 2, 1917: Woodrow Wilson Asks Congress for a Declaration of War April 2, 1917: Woodrow Wilson Asks Congress for a Declaration of War
"War has come, and we must all face it steadfastly and cheerfully."
Apr 2, 2015 / The Almanac and Richard Kreitner
April 1, 1901: Whittaker Chambers Is Born April 1, 1901: Whittaker Chambers Is Born
Whittaker Chambers, a Wobbly and a hobo before he was a a red-hunter, published poetry in The Nation in the 1920s.
Apr 1, 2015 / Richard Kreitner and The Almanac
March 31, 1995: Pop Star Selena Is Shot and Killed March 31, 1995: Pop Star Selena Is Shot and Killed
Unlike the male rock star who, having killed himself, gave his fans a taste of ultimate fatalism, Selena’s life, not death, offered joy to so many who admired her.
Mar 31, 2015 / Richard Kreitner and The Almanac
March 30, 1981: Ronald Reagan Is Shot March 30, 1981: Ronald Reagan Is Shot
An available gun transforms violent emotions into deadly action.
Mar 30, 2015 / Richard Kreitner and The Almanac
March 29, 1951: Julius and Ethel Rosenberg Are Convicted of Espionage March 29, 1951: Julius and Ethel Rosenberg Are Convicted of Espionage
You can imagine what would be our own emotional response if two Russians were sentenced to death for supplying information to us while we were allied with Russia.
Mar 29, 2015 / Richard Kreitner and The Almanac
March 28, 1979: Nuclear Meltdown at Three Mile Island March 28, 1979: Nuclear Meltdown at Three Mile Island
It should have been clear that one self-serving segment of our society was pushing the rest of us into the arms of a technology that could not tolerate, nor contain, a major accide...
Mar 28, 2015 / Richard Kreitner and The Almanac