October 14th
Today in 1884,George Eastman patented paper-strip photographic film.
Today in 1947,Air Force test pilot Charles E. ("Chuck") Yeager became the first person to break the sound barrier as he flew the experimental Bell X-One rocket plane over Edwards Air Force Base in California.
Today in 1960,the idea for the Peace Corps was first suggested by Democratic presidential hopeful John Kennedy during an impromptu address to several thousand students on the steps of the University of Michigan.
Today in 1964,civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. was named winner of the Nobel Peace Prize.
Today in 1968,the first live TV pictures from a manned spacecraft were transmitted by the Apollo 7.
Today in 1987,18-month-old Jessica McClure fell 22-feet down an abandoned well in Midland, Texas. The storycaptured the attention of the country as hundreds of rescue workers toiled for 58 hours before freeing the child.
Today in 1998,the FBI charged Eric Robert Rudolph with 6 bombings including the 1996 Olympic bombing in Atlanta. One of the FBI’s “Ten Most Wanted,” he spent five years on that list until he was caught in 2003. In 2005, as part of a plea bargain, Rudolph pleaded guilty to numerous federal and state homicide charges and accepted four consecutive life sentences in exchange for avoiding a trial and a potential death sentence. He remains incarcerated at the ADX Florence supermax prison in Florence, Colorado.
Today in 2003,fan Steve Bartman deflected the ball away from Chicago Cubs outfielder Moises Alou. Cubs give up eight runs in the inning and lose to the Marlins 8-3, and the Bartman incident is seen as the turning point in the series.
Today in 2014,World Health Organization announced that the Ebola virus death toll was at 4,447– and that the fatality rate had reached 70%.
Today in 2017,producer Harvey Weinstein was expelled by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences following revelations of sexual harassment and rape.