The span from October 14th through October 20th in history captures a remarkable array of significant human endeavors and seismic shifts, ranging across nearly 200 years. This week encompasses pioneering triumphs in aviation, the debut of an iconic piece of popular entertainment, a major territorial expansion for the United States, and a severe global financial crisis.
October 14
- 1947: U.S. Air Force Captain Chuck Yeager broke the sound barrier in the Bell X-1.
- 1962: U.S. reconnaissance photos revealed Soviet missiles in Cuba, sparking the Cuban Missile Crisis.
October 15
- 1951: “I Love Lucy” premiered on CBS, becoming one of television’s most iconic sitcoms.
- 1991: Clarence Thomas was confirmed to the U.S. Supreme Court.
October 16
- 1859: Abolitionist John Brown led a raid on Harpers Ferry, Virginia.
- 1968: Tommie Smith and John Carlos gave the Black Power salute during the Olympic medal ceremony in Mexico City.
October 17
- 1931: Al Capone was convicted of tax evasion and later sentenced to 11 years in prison.
- 1989: A 6.9 earthquake struck San Francisco during the World Series, killing 63 people.
October 18
- 1867: The U.S. formally took possession of Alaska from Russia.
- 1968: Bob Beamon shattered the long jump world record at the Mexico City Olympics.
October 19
- 1781: British General Cornwallis surrendered at Yorktown, effectively ending the American Revolutionary War.
- 1987: “Black Monday” saw global stock markets crash, with the Dow Jones dropping over 22%.
October 20
- 1944: General Douglas MacArthur returned to the Philippines, fulfilling his wartime promise, “I shall return.”
- 1973: The “Saturday Night Massacre” occurred during the Watergate scandal when Nixon ordered the firing of special prosecutor Archibald Cox.
