Today in history: April 8
The United States Senate passed, 38-6, the 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution abolishing slavery, and more events that happened on this day in history.
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1820: Venus de Milo
In 1820, the Venus de Milo statue was discovered by a farmer on the Greek island of Milos.
1864: The 13th Amendment
In 1864, the United States Senate passed, 38-6, the 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution abolishing slavery. (The House of Representatives passed it in January 1865; the amendment was ratified and adopted in December 1865.)
1952: Steel Seizure
In 1952, President Harry S. Truman seized the American steel industry to avert a nationwide strike. (The Supreme Court later ruled that Truman had overstepped his authority, opening the way for a seven-week strike by steelworkers.)
1974: Hank Aaron
In 1974, Hank Aaron of the Atlanta Braves hit his 715th career home run in a game against the Los Angeles Dodgers, breaking Babe Ruth’s record.
1990: Ryan White
In 1990, Ryan White, the teenage AIDS patient whose battle for acceptance had gained national attention, died in Indianapolis at age 18.
1993: Marian Anderson
In 1993, singer Marian Anderson died in Portland, Oregon, at age 96.
1994: Kurt Cobain
In 1994, Kurt Cobain, singer and guitarist for the grunge band Nirvana, was found dead in Seattle from an apparently self-inflicted gunshot wound; he was 27.
2009: The Maersk Alabama
In 2009, Somali pirates hijacked the U.S.-flagged Maersk Alabama; although the crew was able to retake the cargo ship, the captain, Richard Phillips, was taken captive by the raiders and held aboard a lifeboat. (Phillips was rescued four days later by Navy SEAL snipers who shot three of the pirates dead.)
2011: Budget Deal
Ten years ago: Congressional and White House negotiators struck a last-minute budget deal ahead of a midnight deadline, averting an embarrassing federal shutdown and cutting billions in spending.
2016: Bruce Springsteen
Five years ago: Bruce Springsteen canceled a scheduled concert in Greensboro, North Carolina, citing the state’s new law blocking anti-discrimination rules covering the LGBT community.
2016: N.W.A
Five years ago: N.W.A. entered the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame during a ceremony at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center with 1970s-era rock acts Cheap Trick, Chicago, Deep Purple and Steve Miller.
2016: Pope Francis
Five years ago: In a sweeping document on family life that opened a door to divorced and civilly remarried Catholics, Pope Francis insisted that church doctrine could not be the final word in answering tricky moral questions and that Catholics had to be guided by their own informed consciences.
2020: Bernie Sanders
One year ago: Sen. Bernie Sanders ended his presidential bid, making Joe Biden the presumptive Democratic nominee to challenge President Donald Trump.
2020: Wuhan
One year ago: A 76-day lockdown was lifted in the Chinese city of Wuhan, where the global pandemic began; residents would have to use a smartphone app showing that they had not been in recent contact with anyone confirmed to have the virus.
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