April 08
1513
Ponce de León claimed Florida for Spain.
1913
The 17th Amendment was ratified, requiring the direct election of U.S. senators by popular vote rather than by the state legislators.
1935
The Works Progress Administration (WPA) was approved by Congress to help alleviate joblessness during the Great Depression.
1946
The League of Nations assembled for the last time.
1973
Artist Pablo Picasso died.
1974
Henry “Hank” Aaron hit the 715th home run of his career, breaking Babe Ruth’s record.
1986
Actor Clint Eastwood was elected mayor of Carmel, California.
1992
Tennis ace Arthur Ashe announced that he had AIDS.
Birthdays
Kofi Annan
(1938–)Ghanaian diplomat, secretary-general of the United Nations (1997–),
Harvey Williams Cushing
neurosurgeon (1869)
Mary Pickford
actress (1893)
Sonja Henie
skater (1912)
Betty Ford
former First Lady (1918)
John Havlicek
basketball (1940)
Michael Bennett
choreographer (1943)
Barbara Kingsolver
writer (1955)
Patricia Arquette
actress (1968)