On This Day in History, October 12

1979 Douglas Adam’s Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy Hits the Bookstores

The first in a “trilogy of five”, the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy ot H2G2 is a popular comedy science fiction novel that was first created as a radio show in 1978 for BBC Radio 4. The show and the book follow the intergalactic adventures of Arthur Dent, who escapes the Earth’s destruction. He is accompanied by several other characters including an alien called Ford Prefect; Marvin, the depressed robot; and the Vogons who are responsible for destroying the Earth.

1968 Equatorial Guinea Gains Independence

The Central African republic was part of the Spanish Empire since the late 1700s. Known as Spanish Guinea, the country became independent and changed its name to Equatorial Guinea under the leadership of President Francisco Macías Nguema. In 1972 Nguema proclaimed himself president for life.

1964 First Multi Person Space Flight

Soviet spacecraft Voskhod 1 carried 3 cosmonauts for the first time to space. It was also the first time the crew did not wear any space suits during the duration of the flight.

1960 Nikita Khrushchev's Famous Shoe Pounding Incident

The First Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union removed his shoe and pounded it on the table during a UN General Assembly meeting in New York. The incident was thought to be a response to comments about freedoms in Eastern Europe made by the Fillipino delegate, Lorenzo Sumulong.

1492 Christopher Columbus Steps Foot on the New World

Two months after he had set sail from Spain with crews on 3 ships – the Santa María, the Pinta, and the Santa Clara, Columbus spotted land that he believed was Japan. He had in fact, stepped foot on what is now the Bahamas. Claiming that he was the first one to set sight on the lands, he declared the lands as being owned by the Spanish empire.

1968 Hugh Jackman

Australian actor, producer

1875 Aleister Crowley

English magician, author

1866 Ramsay MacDonald

Scottish politician, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom

1798 Pedro I of Brazil

1537 Edward VI of England

1999 Wilt Chamberlain

American basketball player

1997 John Denver

American singer-songwriter, guitarist, actor

1971 Dean Acheson

American lawyer, politician, 51st United States Secretary of State

1946 Joseph Stilwell

American general

1870 Robert E. Lee

American general