On This Day for 4/16 - Sir Peter Ustinov is born, Harriet Quimby becomes the first woman to fly across the English Channel, and more

Don't miss an issue of On This Day! Simply add [customerservice@eb.com]( to your address book. On This Day April 16 Discover the Fastest Route to Britannica - [EB.com]( Born This Day [Peter Ustinov in Appointment with Death, 1988.]( [Sir Peter Ustinov]( English actor, director, playwright, and humanitarian [Sir Peter Ustinov]( who was born on this day in 1921, made more than 70 films in Rome, [Hollywood]( and London during an acclaimed career that spanned some six decades. Who else was born today? Find out with the newest version of [our best-selling software! >>]( On This Day [The English Channel]( 1912: Harriet Quimby's flight across the English Channel On this day in 1912, American aviator [Harriet Quimby]( became the first woman to fly across the [English Channel]( guiding her French Blériot [monoplane]( through heavy overcast from [Dover]( England, to Hardelot, France. 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: The [South Korean]( ferry Sewol, traveling from Inchʾŏn to [Cheju]( [capsized and sank]( killing 304 people, most of whom were high schoolers. 2007: In one of the deadliest [mass shootings]( in the United States, 33 people, including the shooter, were killed on the Blacksburg, Virginia, campus of [Virginia Tech](. 2003: [Michael Jordan rising to the basket during a play-off game against the New York Knicks, 1996.]( age 40, [Michael Jordan]( widely regarded as the best player in the history of [basketball]( played his last game in the [National Basketball Association](. 1962: [Walter Cronkite…]( journalist [Walter Cronkite]( became anchor of the CBS Evening News, a position he held for nearly two decades, during which time he became known as "the most trusted man in America." 1948: In order to restore the economy of Europe after [World War II]( 16 European countries formed the [Organisation for European Economic Co-operation]( (later the [Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development](. 1947: [Kareem Abdul-Jabbar]( [basketball]( player [Kareem Abdul-Jabbar]( who won five [NBA]( championships with the [Los Angeles Lakers]( (1980, 1982, 1985, 1987, and 1988), was born. 1922: [Kingsley Amis, 1989.]( author [Sir Kingsley Amis]( who created in his first novel, [Lucky Jim]( (1954), a comic figure that became a household word in Great Britain in the 1950s, was born. 1917: [Vladimir Ilich Lenin, 1918.]( Ilich Lenin]( ended his 17-year exile and returned to [Russia]( to form a provisional government. 1838: [An illustration by Carl Nebel depicts the bombardment of the Mexican city of Veracruz by U.S.…]( forces occupied the Mexican city of [Veracruz]( during the [Pastry War](. 1755: [Marie-Antoinette, painting by Elisabeth Vigee-Lebrun, 18th century.…]( [Élisabeth Vigée-Lebrun]( known for her portraits of Queen [Marie-Antoinette]( was born in Paris. 1746: [Charles Edward Stuart]( English army defeated a Scottish force under [Charles Edward Stuart]( (Bonnie Prince Charlie) at the [Battle of Culloden]( ending the [Jacobite]( effort to restore the [Stuarts]( to England's throne. 1646: [Palace of Versailles, France, built chiefly by Louis Le Vau and Jules Hardouin-Mansart.…]( [Jules Hardouin-Mansart]( who redesigned and expanded the [Palace of Versailles]( was born in Paris. 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]( Please note that if you do not open or click on any On This Day email during any consecutive 30-day period, we reserve the right to remove your address from the active mailing list. This policy does not apply to RSS feeds. Was this message forwarded to you? [Click here]( and we'll start sending you the On This Day newsletters. 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](