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April 15
5 moments across history
The RMS Titanic Sinks in the North Atlantic
In the early hours of April 15, 1912, the luxury liner RMS Titanic sank after striking an iceberg just before midnight on April 14. More than 1,500 people perished in the icy waters, while approximately 710 survivors were rescued by the RMS Carpathia. The disaster remains one of the most famous and studied events in maritime history, leading to major improvements in safety at sea and capturing the world's imagination for over a century.
The RMS Titanic tilting into the North Atlantic, early morning April 15, 1912
Jackie Robinson Breaks Baseball's Color Barrier
Jackie Robinson in his Brooklyn Dodgers uniform making his Major League debut, April 15, 1947
Jackie Robinson on the field at Ebbets Field during his historic 1947 season
On April 15, 1947, Jackie Robinson made his major league debut with the Brooklyn Dodgers at Ebbets Field, becoming the first Black player in the modern era of Major League Baseball. His presence on the field effectively ended more than 60 years of racial segregation in professional baseball and marked a pivotal moment in the American civil rights movement. Robinson's courage and skill paved the way for future generations of athletes of color.
Death of Abraham Lincoln
President Abraham Lincoln in a somber portrait shortly before his death in 1865
The room at the Petersen House where President Lincoln died on April 15, 1865
President Abraham Lincoln died at 7:22 AM on April 15, 1865, the morning after being shot by John Wilkes Booth. He passed away at the Petersen House, across the street from Ford's Theatre where the attack occurred. Vice President Andrew Johnson was sworn in as the 17th president just a few hours later. Lincoln's death plunged the nation into deep mourning and left a leadership vacuum during the critical early days of post-war Reconstruction.
Liberation of Bergen-Belsen Concentration Camp
British troops entering the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp during its liberation, April 15, 1945
Survivors and medical aid workers at Bergen-Belsen shortly after the camp was liberated
On April 15, 1945, British and Canadian troops liberated the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp in Germany. They found approximately 53,000 prisoners alive, but many thousands more had perished from disease and starvation. The harrowing scenes documented by military photographers and journalists shocked the world and provided undeniable proof of the horrors of the Holocaust. The liberation marked a significant humanitarian effort in the final weeks of World War II.
First Franchised McDonald's Opens
Ray Kroc's first franchised McDonald's restaurant in Des Plaines, Illinois, opened in 1955
Ray Kroc, who founded the McDonald's Corporation and built the global fast-food brand
On April 15, 1955, Ray Kroc opened his first franchised McDonald's restaurant in Des Plaines, Illinois. While the McDonald brothers had opened the original location in California, Kroc's vision for a standardized national chain revolutionized the fast-food industry. The iconic red-and-white tiled building with its golden arches became a symbol of mid-century American culture and the beginning of a global fast-food empire.