MARIA SHRIVER WEDS SCHWARZENEGGER
Maria Shriver, JFK's niece & daughter of his Peace Corps director, Sargent Shriver & Eunice Kennedy Shriver (JFK's sister), married former bodybuilder turned actor, Arnold Schwarzenegger today in Hyannis, Massachusetts.
The match seemed unlikely since Shriver is a Democrat from the Kennedy family while Mr. Schwarzenegger is a Republican.
Miss Shriver graduated from Georgetown University in 1977 & became a prominent newswoman.
The ceremony took place at St. Francis Xavier Church where there were 500 guests.
The bride's cousin, Caroline Kennedy, JFK's daughter, was the maid of honor while former Mr. Universe, Franco Columbu, was best man.
The wedding reception was held at the Kennedy Compound.
Maria Shriver & Governor Schwarzenegger
2007 Special Olympics*
Shanghai, China Photo by Silvia Cestari
*Eunice Shriver was founder of the Special Olympics.
April 26, 1986
NUCLEAR POWER ACCIDENT AT CHERNOBYL
The world's worst nuclear power accident occurred today at Chernobyl, 65 miles north of Kiev in the Ukraine, USSR.
Experiments were being conducted by Soviet nuclear scientists at the time of the mishap.
The Soviet government will not confirm the accident, but unidentified sources report 32 people have been killed & dozens more have suffered radiation burns.*
*The accident is described as a "chemical explosion driven by the ignition of gases & steam generated by a runaway reaction."
The radiation released at Chernobyl was several times more than that released as a result of the atomic weapons dropped on Japan in 1945.
Eventually, 5000 Soviet citizens died from illnesses incurred as a result of the disaster.
Chernobyl
April 26, 1984
PRESIDENT & MRS. REAGAN ARRIVE IN CHINA
Ronald Wilson Reagan became only the 2nd US President to visit China today.
Mr. & Mrs. Reagan will be in China for 6 days. Mr. Reagan is the guest of China's President Li Xiannian.
President Reagan has already made an impression by attempting to speak Chinese.*
*President Nixon & First Lady Pat Nixon visited China in 1972.
President & Mrs. Reagan in China
April 26, 1961
JFK SENDS MESSAGE TO SIERRA LEONE
President Kennedy sent a message of congratulations today to the people of the African nation of Sierra Leone.
The message is in honor of the gaining of independence of the African country after more than 50 years of British rule.
Flag of Sierra Leone
April 26, 1962
"RANGER 4" CRASHES INTO THE MOON
Just 3 months after US spacecraft "Ranger 3" failed to reach the moon, "Ranger 4" today made a crash landing on the moon.
The "Ranger 4" was supposed to transmit pictures of the lunar surface back to earth for a 10 minute period before crashing, but an on board computer failure prevented that from happening.
Ranger 4 Spacecraft
April 26, 1954
CONFERENCE AT GENEVA BEGINS TODAY
Representatives of the world powers gathered in Geneva, Switzerland today in an effort to resolve ongoing problems in Southeast Asia.*
*The Geneva Conference will conclude in July with French troops leaving North Vietnam. Vietnam itself will be divided a the 17th parallel pending elections within 2 years to reunify the country & elect a president.
Geneva Conference (1954)
April 26, 1865
JOHN WILKES BOOTH SURROUNDED & SHOT IN VIRGINIA
12 days after having shot President Abraham Lincoln in Ford's Theater, the actor & Southern sympathizer, John Wilkes Booth, was surrounded today by US soldiers in Virginia.
Booth, 26 years years old, was accompanied by accomplice David Herold. The 2 fugitives were hiding in a tobacco barn on the farm of Mr. Richard Garrett.
Herold gave up without a struggle, but Booth refused. Soldiers then set fire to the barn & with Booth still inside, a shot was fired & the assassin fell to the ground.
Soldiers rushed in & pulled Booth out of the flaming barn. He was dragged up to the porch of the Garrett farmhouse where he died.
Garrett Farmhouse
Port Royal, Virginia
