On this day in 2026 - 4/9/2026

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4/9/2026 - On this day in 2026

4/9/2026 - On this day in:

15th–19th Centuries

1483: Edward V, aged 12, succeeded his father Edward IV as King of England. His brief reign ended with his disappearance (along with his brother) in the Tower of London, amid the Wars of the Roses.
1682: French explorer René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle, reached the mouth of the Mississippi River and claimed the entire basin for France, naming it Louisiana.
1865: Confederate General Robert E. Lee surrendered the Army of Northern Virginia (about 26,765 troops) to Union Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox Court House, Virginia. This effectively ended the American Civil War in the eastern theater, though some fighting continued elsewhere.

20th Century

1917 (World War I): The Battle of Arras began on the Western Front. Canadian Corps troops captured Vimy Ridge in a major assault, an event still celebrated in Canada as a symbol of national achievement and sacrifice.
1938: Following Nazi Germany's annexation (Anschluss), a controlled plebiscite in Austria showed 99.7% approval for union with Germany.
1939: After being denied access to Constitution Hall by the Daughters of the American Revolution due to racial discrimination, African American contralto Marian Anderson performed an iconic outdoor concert at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., drawing 75,000 attendees.

1942 (World War II): U.S. forces in the Philippines surrendered at Bataan to Japanese troops. This led to the infamous Bataan Death March, in which thousands of prisoners died. April 9 is now observed as Bataan Day or National Former Prisoner of War Recognition Day in the U.S.
1945 (World War II): Lutheran pastor and theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer was executed at Flossenbürg concentration camp, just days before its liberation.

1965/1966: The Houston Astrodome, the world's first fully enclosed, air-conditioned domed sports stadium (nicknamed the "Eighth Wonder of the World"), opened. The first indoor MLB game was played there (noted in some sources around this period).
1967: The first Boeing 737 took its maiden flight; it would become the best-selling commercial jet in history.

21st Century

2003: U.S.-led coalition forces captured Baghdad during the Iraq War. The fall of the city led to the collapse of Saddam Hussein's regime, widespread looting, and the symbolic toppling of statues of the Iraqi leader. Iraqis later observe this as Baghdad Liberation Day in some regions.
2005: Prince Charles (now King Charles III) married Camilla Parker Bowles in a civil ceremony, marking the first civil wedding for a member of the British royal family in modern times.

Other Notable Mentions

1952: The Bolivian National Revolution began, leading to major social and economic reforms, including universal suffrage and nationalization of tin mines.

Various observances tied to April 9 include Jenkins' Ear Day (referencing a 1731 incident that helped spark conflict between Britain and Spain), Winston Churchill Day, and International ASMR Day in some calendars.

Births on April 9Notable figures born on this day include:

Deaths on April 9

Notable deaths include King Edward IV of England (1483), philosopher Francis Bacon (1626), and architect Frank Lloyd Wright (1959).

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