April 12

April 12: This Day in History

• 1861— Confederate forces opened fire on Fort Sumter in South Carolina, marking the beginning of the American Civil War.
• 1945— President Franklin D. Roosevelt died of a cerebral hemorrhage in Warm Springs, Georgia; Harry Truman was sworn in as president.
• 1955— Jonas Salk's polio vaccine was declared safe and effective, one of the greatest public health breakthroughs of the 20th century.
• 1961— Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first human in space, completing one orbit of Earth aboard Vostok 1.
• 1981— Space Shuttle Columbia launched on its first mission, STS-1, beginning the Space Shuttle program.

Famous Birthdays on April 12

• Henry Clay (1777) — american statesman known as the great compromiser
• David Letterman (1947) — american television host and comedian
• Herbie Hancock (1940) — american jazz musician and pianist
• Andy Garcia (1956) — cuban-american actor known for the godfather part iii
• Shannen Doherty (1971) — american actress known for beverly hills 90210
• Saoirse Ronan (1994) — irish-american actress known for lady bird and little women

What Happens on April 12?

Did You Know? April 12 Fun Facts

• Yuri Gagarin's historic spaceflight lasted 108 minutes.
• Yuri's Night is celebrated on April 12 to commemorate both Gagarin's 1961 flight and the first Space Shuttle mission in 1981.