On 14 April in poetry and history
Poets born or who died on this date, plus historical events that happened on this day across history.
610 poets with calendar dates · 6,535 events with calendar dates in the catalogue
1 birthday · 2 death anniversaries · 10 world events on 14 April
Birthdays
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Cecil Frances Alexander
14 April 1818 – 12 October 1895 (~77)
Born 14 April 1818 — would have been 208 in 2026
Death anniversaries
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Nora Hopper Chesson
2 January 1871 – 14 April 1906 (~35)
Died 14 April 1906 — 120 years ago on this date
World events on this day
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Assassination of Abraham Lincoln
On April 14, 1865, President Abraham Lincoln was shot by Confederate sympathizer John Wilkes Booth while watching a play at Ford's Theatre in Washington, D.C. Lincoln died the following morning, just days after Lee's surrender. The assassination plunged the nation into mourning and created a legacy of martyrdom that shaped the course of Reconstruction and American memory.
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Noah Webster's An American Dictionary of the English Language
On April 14, 1828, Noah Webster published An American Dictionary of the English Language in New York, the first comprehensive dictionary of American English. This two-volume work contained about 70,000 entries, some 12,000 more than any previous dictionary, and included American spellings and pronunciations. Webster, who spent twenty-seven years compiling the work, aimed to foster a uniform language for the new United States and promote a distinctly American identity.
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Proclamation of the Second Spanish Republic
On April 14, 1931, following the overwhelming Republican victory in municipal elections two days earlier, King Alfonso XIII fled Spain and the Second Spanish Republic was proclaimed in Madrid. The peaceful transition from monarchy to republic was met with jubilant celebrations across the country, as a new era of democratic governance, secularism, and social reform was promised. The Republic immediately began implementing sweeping reforms, including military reduction, land redistribution, and the separation of church and state, setting the stage for intense political conflict.
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Completion of the Human Genome Project
The completion of the Human Genome Project in 2003 marked a monumental achievement in biological science, successfully mapping and sequencing the entire human genome. This international research effort provided a comprehensive blueprint of human genetic information, paving the way for advances in medicine, genetics, and biotechnology. The project's findings have profound implications for understanding human health, disease, and evolution.
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Death of Thomas Otway
Thomas Otway died on April 14, 1685, in London, leaving behind a legacy of poignant tragedies that explored the depths of human emotion. His untimely death at the age of thirty-three cut short a promising career, but his works continued to influence the landscape of English drama. Otway's life and art remain significant in the study of Restoration literature.
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The Bombay Explosion
The British freighter SS Fort Stikine, carrying a mixed cargo of cotton bales, gold, and 1,400 tons of military and industrial explosives, caught fire and blew up in the Victoria Dock of Bombay, India. The colossal explosion destroyed the entire docklands area, set fire to slum neighborhoods for miles around, killed over 800 people, and scattered burning debris that ignited ships across the harbor. The disaster crippled one of India's most vital wartime economic hubs.
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Loch Ness Monster First Modern Sighting
On April 14, 1933, John Mackay and his wife reported seeing 'something resembling a whale' in Loch Ness, Scotland, sparking the modern legend of the Loch Ness Monster. The sighting was reported in the Inverness Courier on May 2, and interest grew rapidly. The first photograph of 'Nessie' was taken on November 12, 1933, by Hugh Gray, cementing the creature's place in popular culture.
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Eruption of Eyjafjallajökull
Eyjafjallajökull volcano in Iceland erupted in April 2010, producing an ash cloud that disrupted air travel across Europe for several weeks. The eruption grounded over 100,000 flights and affected millions of travelers, causing billions of dollars in economic losses. While locally disruptive, the event had minimal casualties but demonstrated the vulnerability of globalized transportation networks to natural phenomena.
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St. Inigoes Slave Rebellion
On Easter Monday, April 14, 1817, a group of enslaved people in St. Inigoes, Maryland, near the Jesuit plantation, rose in revolt, attacking their overseers and attempting to escape to freedom. The rebellion, which involved about 40 enslaved people, was quickly suppressed by local militia, and the leaders were executed. The uprising was largely suppressed from public memory by the planter class, but it was one of several slave revolts that occurred in Maryland during the early 19th century. The St. Inigoes rebellion highlighted the ongoing resistance to slavery in the Chesapeake region.
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The Great Earthquake of 1672 in Rimini
On April 14, 1672 CE, an earthquake struck the city of Rimini in Italy, causing damage to buildings and infrastructure. This event is documented in local chronicles and is part of the seismic history of the Adriatic coast. The earthquake, while not as destructive as other events, was a notable occurrence for the city.