October 1, 1949:  Mao Zedong proclaims People’s Republic of China.

October 1, 1964:  Japan’s first bullet train debuts.

October 1, 1988:  Mikhail Gorbachev becomes leader of Supreme Soviet. He was the last leader of the Soviet Union before its dissolution. He announced his resignation in December 1991.

October 2, 1967:  Thurgood Marshall sworn in as first African-American justice on the United States Supreme Court.

October 3, 1990:  East and West Germany reunite.

October 3, 1995:  O.J. Simpson acquitted of murder.

October 4, 1957:  Soviet Union launches Sputnik 1 (“Fellow Traveler”).

October 4, 1965:  First visit by a pope to America (Pope Paul VI). 

October 5, 1931:  First nonstop flight across the Pacific. It took more than 41 hours, from Japan to Washington State.

October 5, 2011:  Apple founder Steve Jobs dies.

October 6, 1973:  Yom Kippur War between Egypt and Syria and Israel begins. Israel emerged victorious after 20 days.

October 6, 1981:  Egyptian President Anwar Sadat is assassinated.

October 7, 1849:  Richmonder and UVA graduate and poet Edgar Allan Poe dies in Baltimore.

October 7, 2001:  US-led attack on Afghanistan begins.

October 7, 2003:  Despite having no noteworthy political experience, Arnold Schwarzenegger becomes California governor.

October 8, 1998:  Congress votes to impeach President Bill Clinton.

Categories: Issues