On This Day in History – October 14

Major Events

• 1066 – The Battle of Hastings: William the Conqueror defeated King Harold II.
• 1322 – Battle of Old Byland: Scots defeated English forces.
• 1656 – Massachusetts enacted the first law limiting Quakers.
• 1884 – George Eastman patented photographic film, paving the way for Kodak.
• 1912 – Theodore Roosevelt survived an assassination attempt while campaigning.
• 1947 – Chuck Yeager broke the sound barrier in the Bell X-1.
• 1964 – Martin Luther King Jr. was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

Famous Birthdays

• Dwight D. Eisenhower (1890–1969) – 34th U.S. President.
• E. E. Cummings (1894–1962) – American poet.
• Ralph Lauren (born 1939) – American fashion designer.
• Roger Moore (1927–2017) – English actor, played James Bond.
• Usher (born 1978) – American singer.

Notable Deaths

• King Harold II (1022–1066) – Last Anglo-Saxon King of England.
• Bing Crosby (1903–1977) – American singer and actor.
• Leonard Bernstein (1918–1990) – American composer and conductor.
• Errol Flynn (1909–1959) – Australian-American actor.

Holidays

• World Standards Day
• Day of the Cathedral of Intercession of the Virgin (Russia)

Fun Facts

• Chuck Yeager’s supersonic flight happened on this day in 1947.
• King Harold II was the last Anglo-Saxon king of England, killed in battle.
• Ralph Lauren shares his birthday with Dwight Eisenhower.