On This Day for 4/12 - Chicago elects its first African American mayor, Franklin D. Roosevelt dies, and more

Don't miss an issue of On This Day! Simply add [customerservice@eb.com]( to your address book. On This Day April 12 Discover the Fastest Route to Britannica - [EB.com]( Born This Day [Edward de Vere, 17th earl of Oxford, engraving.]( [Edward de Vere, 17th earl of Oxford]( Born this day in 1550, English lyric poet [Edward de Vere, 17th earl of Oxford]( emerged in the 20th century as the strongest candidate proposed (other than [William Shakespeare]( himself) as the author of Shakespeare's plays. Who else was born today? Find out with the newest version of [our best-selling software! >>]( On This Day [Liftoff of the first U.S. space shuttle on April 12, 1981, from John F. Kennedy Space Center.]( 1981: Launch of first space shuttle On this day in 1981, [NASA]( launched the first [space shuttle]( Columbia, which was designed to orbit Earth, transport people and cargo to and from orbiting spacecraft, and glide to a runway landing on its return to Earth. Explore more key moments in history for just $39.95 [Learn more >>]( [Sign up now]( for our monthly newsletter, showcasing articles hand-picked by our editors! More Events On This Day 2014: A forest fire swept into the port city of [Valparaíso]( Chile, destroying several thousand homes and claiming the lives of at least 16 people before it was extinguished several days later. 1989: [Sugar Ray Robinson (right) fighting Randy Turpin, 1951.]( boxer [Sugar Ray Robinson]( a six-time world champion who was considered by many to have been the best fighter in history, died in California. 1983: [Harold Washington]( Washington]( the first African American mayor of [Chicago]( was elected. 1981: [Joe Louis, 1946.]( [Joe Louis]( world heavyweight [boxing]( champion from 1937 to 1949, died in Las Vegas. 1961: [Yury Alekseyevich Gagarin, 1961.]( cosmonaut [Yury Alekseyevich Gagarin]( became the first human in outer space. 1947: [David Letterman]( comedian [David Letterman]( best known as the host of his long-running late-night [talk show]( was born. 1945: [Franklin D. Roosevelt, 1937.](. Pres. [Franklin D. Roosevelt]( died in Warm Springs, Georgia. 1861: [Interior view of Fort Sumter, South Carolina, under the Confederate flag, April 14, 1861.]( Sumter]( one of the few military installations in the South still in federal hands, came under fire from Confederate guns in [Charleston]( South Carolina, thus initiating the [American Civil War](. 1777: American statesman [Henry Clay]( was born in Hanover county, Virginia. 1606: [the Union Flag]( Union Flag, precursor to the [Union Jack]( was adopted as the national flag of Great Britain. 1204: [Alexius V]( the last Greek emperor of a united Byzantium, fled Constantinople in the face of the [Fourth Crusade](. A Great Gift Idea from The Britannica Store [1768 Encyclopaedia Britannica Replica Set]( The handsome three-volume reproduction is so beautifully executed that it's almost indistinguishable from the 1768 original, right down to the natural age spots and watermarks on the pages. A must-have for collectors of history or vintage books, the set lends an unmistakable air of prestige to any home or office. [Get yours today]( Our Best-Selling Software! the world's most trusted and authoritative information for [only $39.95](. Britannica on Facebook a fan]( on Facebook and get updated Britannica content in your news feed! Britannica on Twitter @Britannica]( and enjoy daily tweets relating to the news stories of the day! [Home]( [Advocacy for Animals]( [Newsletters]( [Feedback]( [Help]( [Delicious]( Was this message forwarded to you? [Click here]( and we'll start sending you the On This Day newsletters. Please note that if you do not open or click on any On This Day email during any consecutive 14-day period, we reserve the right to remove your address from the active mailing list. This policy does not apply to RSS feeds. This message has been sent to {EMAIL}. To unsubscribe [click here](. To unsubscribe by postal mail, send your request to: Encyclopaedia Britannica 325 N. LaSalle St. - Suite 200 Chicago, IL 60654 US ATTN: Customer Service - On This Day © 2018 Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc. [Privacy Policy]( — [Help](