On April 21, 1910, author Samuel Langhorne Clemens, better known as Mark Twain, died in Redding, Conn.
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On April 21, 1838, John Muir, the Scottish-born naturalist considered the father of the environmental movement, was born. Following his death on Dec. 24, 1914, his obituary appeared in The Times.
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On This Date
| 1649 | The Maryland Toleration Act, which provided for freedom of worship for all Christians, was passed by the Maryland assembly. |
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| 1789 | John Adams was sworn in as the first vice president of the United States. |
| 1816 | Charlotte Bronte, author of "Jane Eyre," was born in Thornton, England. |
| 1836 | Texans led by Sam Houston defeated the Mexicans at San Jacinto, assuring Texas' independence. |
| 1910 | Author Mark Twain died at age 74. |
| 1960 | Brazil inaugurated its new capital, Brasilia, transferring the seat of national government from Rio de Janeiro. |
| 1977 | The musical "Annie," based on the comic strip "Little Orphan Annie," opened on Broadway. |
| 1980 | Rosie Ruiz, the first woman to cross the finish line at the Boston Marathon, was disqualified when officials discovered she had jumped into the race about a mile from the finish. |
| 1992 | Robert Alton Harris became the first person executed by the state of California in 25 years as he was put to death in the gas chamber for the 1978 murder of two teenage boys. |
| 2004 | Five suicide attackers detonated car bombs against police buildings in Basra, Iraq, killing at least 74 people. |
| 2011 | Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev., announced he would step down amid a developing ethics probe while insisting he'd done nothing wrong. |
Historic Birthdays
John Muir
4/21/1838 - 12/24/1914
Scottish-born American naturalist and conservationist.Go to obituary »
| 64 |
Lodovico Carracci 4/21/1555 - 11/13/1619 Italian painter and printmaker |
|---|---|
| 70 |
Friedrich Froebel 4/21/1782 - 6/21/1852 German educator and founder of the kindergarten |
| 39 |
Charlotte Bronte 4/21/1816 - 3/31/1855 English novelist; wrote "Jane Eyre" |
| 67 |
Josh Billings 4/21/1818 - 10/14/1885 American humorist and writer; popular after the Civil War |
| 56 |
Max Weber 4/21/1864 - 6/14/1920 German sociologist and economist |
| 70 |
Billy Bitzer 4/21/1874 - 4/29/1944 American motion-picture cameraman |
| 67 |
G. Donald Harrison 4/21/1889 - 6/14/1956 English-born American organ designer and builder |
| 85 |
Randall Thompson 4/21/1899 - 7/9/1984 American composer of choral music |
| 49 |
Leonard Warren 4/21/1911 - 3/4/1960 American operatic baritone |
| 70 |
Marcel Camus 4/21/1912 - 1/13/1982 French film director |