October 07
1765
The Stamp Act Congress convened in New York to draw up colonial grievances against England.
1849
Poet-writer Edgar Allan Poe died at age 40.
1949
The Republic of East Germany was formed.
1968
The Motion Picture Association of America adopted its film-rating system, ranging from “G” for general audiences to “X” for adults only.
1982
Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “Cats,” the longest running show in Broadway history, opened.
1985
The Italian cruise ship Achille Lauro was hijacked by Palestinian gunmen in the Mediterranean.
1998
Matthew Shepard, a gay student at the University of Wyoming, was beaten, robbed, and left tied to a fence. He died five days later.
2001
U.S. and British forces launched bombing campaign against Taliban government and al-Qaeda terrorist camps in Afghanistan.
2003
California governor Gray Davis was recalled and former bodybuilder and actor Arnold Schwarzenegger was elected in his place.
Birthdays
Desmond Tutu
1931—, South African religious leader.
James Whitcomb Riley
poet (1849)
Niels Bohr
atomic physicist (1885)
Elijah Muhammad
black nationalist leader (1897)
Vladimir Putin
political figure (1952)
Yo-Yo Ma
cellist (1955)
Sherman Alexie
writer (1966)
Rachel McAdams
actor (1976)