Discover What Happened Today in History
Led by Martin Luther King Jr., civil rights activists began their third and successful march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama, to demand voting rights. This pivotal event directly contributed to the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
The infamous maximum-security prison on Alcatraz Island in San Francisco Bay was permanently closed by order of Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy. Its closure marked the end of an era for one of America's most notorious prisons.
Germany launched its massive 'Spring Offensive' (Operation Michael) on the Western Front in a final attempt to win World War I before American forces arrived in full strength. The initial attack was tactically successful but ultimately led to exhausted German forces.
French mathematician and physicist Jean-Baptiste Joseph Fourier was born. He is best known for initiating the investigation of Fourier series and their application to problems of heat transfer, which has profound implications in many fields of science and engineering.
The CBS television series 'Dallas' aired the season-ending episode 'A House Divided,' which featured the infamous cliffhanger of J.R. Ewing being shot. The mystery of 'Who shot J.R.?' became a global phenomenon, dominating pop culture for months.