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1828
Noah Webster copyrights the first edition of his dictionary.

1846
The Donner Party departs for California from Springfield, Illinois

1865

Good Friday and President Abraham Lincoln is shot in the back of the head by John Wilkes Booth while watching a performance of the play Our American Cousin at Ford's Theater in Washington, D.C.

1904
English actor and director, John Gielgud born in London, England.

1912
The RMS Titanic collides with an iceberg on her maiden voyage.

1912
French photographer Robert Doisneau born in Paris, France.

1925
American actor Rod Steiger (Dr. Zhivago) born in Westhampton, New York.

1930
Russian actor, playwright, and poet Vladimir Mayakovsky dies an apparent suicide by a single pistol shot to the heart.

1939
The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck is first published.

1941
Actress Julie Christie (Dr. Zhivago) born in Chabua, India.

American baseball player Pete Rose born in Cincinnati, Ohio.

1942
Soviet Olympic Gold medal high jumper, Valeriy Brumel born in Razvedki, Russia.

1961
Cartoonist and screenwriter Daniel Clowes (Eightball) born in Chicago, Illinois.