National day of Ghana - Formerly the Gold Coast, it became the first British colony in Africa to achieve independence, on March 6, 1957.
1836: The Alamo fell to Mexican forces under Santa Anna. Legendary frontiersmen Davy Crockett and Jim Bowie both died in the 12-day battle.
1890: An ornithologist released 60 pairs of starlings in New York's Central Park as a memorial to Shakespeare. The starling is now America's worst bird pest!
1899: Chemist Felix Hoffman patented the world's most famous pain-relief drug, the aspirin.
1926: The Shakespeare Memorial Theatre at Stratford-upon-Avon was engulfed by flames, leaving only a blackened shell.
1930: Clarence Birdseye marketed the first frozen foods in Massachusetts.
1944: US planes from bases in Britain began daylight bombing raids on Berlin.
1951: Ivor Novello (David Ivor Davies), Welsh-born composer, playwright and actor, died in his flat above the Strand Theatre, London.
1961: George Formby, film star and music hall artist, who sang comic songs and accompanied himself on the banjo, died.
1974: Labour returned to power with Harold Wilson at the helm after the Liberals rejected Edward Heath's offer of coalition with a cabinet post for their leader Jeremy Thorpe.
1987: The ferry Herald of Free Enterprise capsized with her bow door open leaving Zeebrugge harbour - 193 died.
1988: Three IRA terrorists were shot dead by SAS men in Gibraltar.
1991: Dr George Carey elected new Archbishop of Canterbury.
ON THIS DAY LAST YEAR: PM Tony Blair promised that Iraq's oil would be placed out of the hands of Britain and the United States following a war to prove that the rich reserves were not the motive for conflict.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article