Today in Histroy

1789 William Wilberforce makes his first major speech on abolition in the UK House of Commons, reasoning the slave trade morally reprehensible and an issue of natural justice
1940 Nazi blitzkrieg and conquest of France begins with the crossing of the Muese River
1943 Axis forces in North Africa surrender
2002 Former US President Jimmy Carter arrives in Cuba for a five-day visit with Fidel Castro becoming first President of the United States, in or out of office, to visit the island since Castro’s 1959 revolution.
2008 Wenchuan earthquake, measuring 7.8 in magnitude occurs in Sichuan, China, killing over 87,000, injuring 374,643 and leaving homeless between 4.8 million and 11 million people

Today in Film & TV

1994 “Pulp Fiction”, directed by Quentin Tarantino and starring John Travolta, Uma Thurman and Samuel L. Jackson premieres at the Cannes Film Festival (Palme d’Or 1994)

Today in Music

1967 “Are You Experienced” album by the Jimi Hendrix Experience first released – one of the most influential debut albums ever

Today in Sports

1875 1st recorded shutout in pro baseball, Chicago 1, St Louis 0