Cleveland History
Death of Garrett Morgan (April 15, 1963): Cleveland inventor and entrepreneur Garrett Morgan—known for the gas mask and traffic signal—died in Cleveland, marking the loss of one of the city’s most important Black innovators.
Death of Eliot Ness (April 16, 1957): Eliot Ness, former Cleveland Public Safety Director (1935–1942) and a central figure in the city’s law enforcement history—including his role during the Cleveland Torso Murders investigation—died on April 16, 1957. Though he died in Pennsylvania, his historical significance is directly tied to Cleveland.
Death of Sam Sheppard (April 16, 1970): Dr. Sam Sheppard, central figure in one of Cleveland’s most famous criminal cases, died in Columbus. His case remained deeply tied to Cleveland through the original 1954 investigation and trial in Cuyahoga County.
World History
American Civil War Begins (April 12–13, 1861): Confederate forces fired on Fort Sumter, prompting its surrender on April 13 and marking the start of the war.
Abraham Lincoln Assassinated (April 14, 1865): U.S. President Abraham Lincoln was shot by John Wilkes Booth at Ford’s Theatre; he died the following morning.
Titanic Sinks (April 15, 1912): The British ocean liner RMS Titanic sank in the North Atlantic after striking an iceberg, resulting in over 1,500 deaths.
Einstein Explains Brownian Motion (April 18, 1905): Albert Einstein published a paper providing theoretical explanation for Brownian motion, offering key evidence for the existence of atoms.
Battles of Lexington and Concord (April 19, 1775): The opening battles of the American Revolutionary War were fought in Massachusetts, marking the beginning of armed conflict between Britain and its American colonies.
