On This Day in History – October 31

Major Events

• 1517 – Martin Luther posted his 95 Theses in Wittenberg, sparking the Protestant Reformation.
• 1864 – Nevada was admitted as the 36th U.S. state.
• 1926 – Magician Harry Houdini died in Detroit.
• 1941 – Mount Rushmore was completed after 14 years of construction.
• 1961 – The Soviet Union detonated the Tsar Bomba.
• 2000 – The first crew arrived at the International Space Station.
• 2011 – The UN declared the global population reached 7 billion.

Famous Birthdays

• John Keats (1795–1821) – English Romantic poet.
• Chiang Kai-shek (1887–1975) – Chinese political and military leader.
• Ethel Waters (1896–1977) – American singer and actress.
• Michael Landon (1936–1991) – American actor.
• Peter Jackson (born 1961) – New Zealand film director.
• Rob Schneider (born 1963) – American comedian.
• Vanilla Ice (born 1967) – American rapper.

Notable Deaths

• Indira Gandhi (1917–1984) – Prime Minister of India, assassinated.
• Harry Houdini (1874–1926) – American magician.
• River Phoenix (1970–1993) – American actor.
• Sean Connery (1930–2020) – Scottish actor, James Bond.

Holidays

• Halloween (International)
• Reformation Day (Protestant Christian)
• All Saints’ Eve (Christianity)

Fun Facts

• Martin Luther’s 95 Theses ignited the Reformation.
• Halloween traditions trace back to the Celtic festival Samhain.
• The ISS has been continuously inhabited since October 31, 2000.