October 12 is the 285th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar; 80 days remain until the end of the year.
We have some interesting facts & historic events all about October 12th, including areas in religion, crime, health and more.
Keep reading for more interesting facts about October 12th in history!
Table of Contents
Global Celebrations
- World Arthritis Day
- National Farmers Day
- Ada Lovelace Day
Historic Events
What Happened On This Day – October 12
1979: Douglas Adam’s Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy Hits the Bookstores
The first in a “trilogy of five”, the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, or H2G2, is a popular comedy science fiction novel that was first created as a radio show in 1978 for BBC Radio 4. The show and the book follow the intergalactic adventures of Arthur Dent, who escapes the Earth’s destruction. He is accompanied by several other characters including an alien called Ford Prefect, Marvin the depressed robot, and the Vogons who are responsible for destroying the Earth.
1968: Equatorial Guinea Gains Independence
The African republic was part of the Spanish Empire since the late 1700s. Known as Spanish Guinea, the country became independent and changed its name to Equatorial Guinea under the leadership of President Francisco Macías Nguema. In 1972, Nguema proclaimed himself president for life.
1964: First Multi Person Space Flight
Soviet spacecraft Voskhod 1 carried 3 cosmonauts for the first time to space. It was also the first time the crew did not wear any space suits for the duration of the flight.
1960: Nikita Khrushchev’s Famous Shoe Pounding Incident
The First Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union removed his shoe and pounded it on the table during a UN General Assembly meeting in New York. The incident was thought to be a response to comments about freedoms in Eastern Europe made by the Filipino delegate, Lorenzo Sumulong.
1492: Christopher Columbus Steps Foot on the New World
Two months after he had set sail from Spain with crews on 3 ships – the Santa María, the Pinta, and the Santa Clara, Columbus spotted land that he believed was Japan. He had, in fact, stepped foot on what is now the Bahamas. Claiming that he was the first one to set sight on the lands, he declared the lands as being owned by the Spanish empire.
1988: Steve Jobs unveils the NeXT computer.
1917: The morning after the first battle of Passendale, 12 October 1917.
Famous Birthdays
Births On This Day, October 12
1968: Hugh Jackman, Australian actor, producer
1875: Aleister Crowley, English magician, author
1866: Ramsay MacDonald, Scottish politician, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
1798: Pedro I of Brazil
1537: Edward VI of England
Heartbreaking Deaths
Deaths On This Day, October 12
1999: Wilt Chamberlain, American basketball player
1997: John Denver, American singer-songwriter, guitarist, actor
1971: Dean Acheson, American lawyer, politician, 51st United States Secretary of State
1946: Joseph Stilwell, American general
1870: Robert E. Lee, American general
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