On This Day for April 27 - Independence for Sierra Leone, Coretta Scott King is featured, and more

This message contains graphics. If you do not see the graphics, [click here to view](. April 27 [King, Coretta Scott]( FEATURED BIOGRAPHY 1927 Coretta Scott King [READ MORE]( [Sierra Leone]( FEATURED EVENT 1961 Independence for Sierra Leone [READ MORE]( Advertisement Advertisement [Earth's To-Do List]( MORE EVENTS ON THIS DAY [John Paul II, 1997.] 2014: Pope [John Paul II]( was canonized by Pope [Benedict XVI](. [Chamber of the House of Commons in the Houses of Parliament, London.] 1992: British politician [Betty Boothroyd]( became the first woman to be elected speaker of the [House of Commons]( she held the post until 2000. [Togo] 1960: After several years as an autonomous republic in the [French Union]( the West African country of [Togo]( became independent. [Ulysses S. Grant.] 1822: U.S. General [Ulysses S. Grant]( who commanded the Union armies during the late years (1864–65) of the [Civil War]( and later served as [president of the United States]( (1869–77), was born. [Wollstonecraft, Mary] 1759: Author and activist [Mary Wollstonecraft]( in A Vindication of the Rights of Woman (1792), was the first to advocate for British [women's suffrage]( born in London. [Narrow boat on the Grand Union Canal (opened 1814), at the northern end of Regent's Park and the London Zoo.] 1828: The [London Zoo]( opened in [Regent's Park](. [SEE ALL EVENTS ON THIS DAY]( ALSO BORN ON THIS DAY 1822 [Ulysses S. Grant]( president of United States 1759 [Mary Wollstonecraft]( English author 1820 [Herbert Spencer]( British philosopher 1967 [Willem-Alexander, king of the Netherlands]( king of the Netherlands 1932 [Casey Kasem]( American disc jockey [SEE ALL BIOS ON THIS DAY]( Advertisement FOLLOW: [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [YouTube]( To unsubscribe from Britannica e-mails, [click here](. Encyclopædia Britannica 325 N. LaSalle Street, Suite 200 Chicago, Illinois 60654 United States © 2019 Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc. [Privacy Policy]( • [Help](