On This Day for 4/4 - Martin Luther King, Jr., is assassinated, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization is formed, and more

Don't miss an issue of On This Day! Simply add [customerservice@eb.com]( to your address book. On This Day April 4 Discover the Fastest Route to Britannica - [EB.com]( Born This Day [Marguerite Duras.]( [Marguerite Duras]( French writer and film director [Marguerite Duras]( internationally known for her screenplays for Hiroshima mon amour and India Song and winner of the prestigious [Prix Goncourt]( for her novel L'Amant, was born this day in 1914. Who else was born today? Find out with the newest version of [our best-selling software! >>]( On This Day [Martin Luther King, Jr.]( 1968: Martin Luther King, Jr., assassinated On this day in 1968, [Martin Luther King, Jr.]( a leader of the American [civil rights movement]( who was in Memphis, Tennessee, to support a strike by the city's sanitation workers, was assassinated by [James Earl Ray](. 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 2013: [Roger Ebert, 2006.]( film critic [Roger Ebert]( who was perhaps the best known of his profession and the first person to receive a [Pulitzer Prize]( for film criticism (1975), died in Chicago. 2002: [Angola]( 27 years of fighting, the [Angolan]( government and [UNITA]( signed a cease-fire agreement that ended the country's civil war. 2000: The government of [South Korea]( ordered some 85 percent of the country's livestock markets closed in an attempt to end an outbreak of [foot-and-mouth disease]( that had struck Asian livestock. 1959: [Léopold Senghor addressing the United Nations General Assembly, 1961.]( West Africa the [Mali Federation]( a short-lived union between the autonomous territories of the [Sudanese Republic]( and [Senegal]( led by [Léopold Senghor]( came into being. 1949: [U.S. President Harry S. Truman signing the NATO alliance pact before members of Congress, 1949.]( [North Atlantic Treaty Organization]( was formed, the founding member nations of this military alliance being Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, the United Kingdom, and the United States. 1928: [Maya Angelou]( poet [Maya Angelou]( best known for her several volumes of autobiography, which explore the themes of economic, racial, and sexual oppression—was born. 1913?: [Muddy Waters]( an American [blues]( guitarist and singer who played a major role in creating the modern [rhythm-and-blues]( style, was born. 1862: [George B. McClellan]( the [American Civil War]( Union forces under [George B. McClellan]( began the unsuccessful [Peninsular Campaign]( to capture the Confederate capital of [Richmond]( Virginia. 1850: [Pantages Theatre on the corner of Seventh and Hill Streets in Los Angeles, 1920s.]( a population totaling about 1,600, [Los Angeles]( was incorporated as an American city. 1841: [William Henry Harrison]( serving for only one month, [William Henry Harrison]( became the first [U.S. president]( to die in office; he was succeeded by Vice President [John Tyler](. 1785: [Bettina von Arnim, engraving after Armgass von Arnim's copy of a miniature by an unknown artist.]( von Arnim]( one of the outstanding women writers in modern [German literature]( was born in Frankfurt am Main. 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 © 2017 Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc. [Privacy Policy]( — [Help](