April is a month rich in history. Familiar names and events that come to mind in April are the American Revolution, Dr. Martin Luther King, and of course, April Fool’s Day, just to name a few. Have fun reading our list of historical events that happened during the month of April. Did you know the birthstone for April is the Diamond and the flower is the daisy and sweet pea?
April 3, 1860 – Pony Express service began as the first rider, Johnny Fry departed St. Joseph, Missouri. Letters were delivered 2,000 miles to California within ten days.
April 3, 1944 – The U.S. Supreme Court ruled 8 to 1 that African Americans cannot be barred from voting in Texas Democratic primaries.
April 4, 1968 – Civil Rights leader Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King was shot and killed in Memphis, Tennessee.
April 9, 1865 – The Civil War effectively ended as General Robert E. Lee surrendered to General Ulysses S. Grant in the village of Appomattox Court House.
April 11, 1945 – the 6th Armored Division, part of the Third Army liberated The Nazi concentration camp at Buchenwald.
April 17, 1961 – A U.S.-backed attempt to overthrow Premier Fidel Castro of Cuba failed disastrously in what is known as the Bay of Pigs.
April 19, 1775 – Dawn in Massachusetts, about 70 armed militiamen stood at Lexington Green against a British advance guard unit. An unordered ‘shot heard around the world’ began the American Revolution.
April 24, 1800 – President John Adams approved legislation for the transfer of the seat of government from Philadelphia to the city of Washington DC. This legislation also described a reference library for Congress only. Hence the creation of the Library of Congress.
