On This Day: April 9

Updated April 8, 2012, 2:28 pm

On April 9, 1865, Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee surrendered his army to Union Gen. Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox Court House in Virginia.
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On April 9, 1903, Gregory Pincus, the American scientist whose discoveries led to the development of the first birth-control pills, was born. Following his death on Aug. 22, 1967, his obituary appeared in The Times.

Go to obituary » | Other birthdays »

On This Date

By The Associated Press

1939 Black singer Marian Anderson performed at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., after she was denied the use of Constitution Hall by the Daughters of the American Revolution because of her race.

1940 Germany invaded Denmark and Norway during World War II.

1942 American and Philippine defenders on Bataan capitulated to Japanese forces during World War II.

1959 NASA announced the selection of America’s first seven astronauts: Scott Carpenter, Gordon Cooper, John Glenn, Gus Grissom, Wally Schirra, Alan Shepard and Donald Slayton.

1969 The album “Nashville Skyline” by Bob Dylan was released.

1992 Former Panamanian ruler Manuel Noriega was convicted in Miami of eight drug and racketeering charges.

2001 American Airlines’ parent company acquired bankrupt Trans World Airlines.

2003 Jubilant Iraqis celebrated the collapse of Saddam Hussein’s regime, beheading a toppled statue of their longtime ruler in downtown Baghdad.

2005 Britain’s Prince Charles married Camilla Parker Bowles, who took the title Duchess of Cornwall.

Current Birthdays

By The Associated Press

Actress Kristen Stewart (“Twilight” movies) turns 22 years old today.

AP Photo/Peter Kramer

Actress Leighton Meester (“Gossip Girl”) turns 26 years old today.

AP Photo/Dan Steinberg

1926 Hugh Hefner, Playboy magazine founder, turns 86

1932 Jim Fowler, Naturalist, turns 80

1939 Michael Learned, Actress (“The Waltons”), turns 73

1953 Hal Ketchum, Country singer, turns 59

1954 Dennis Quaid, Actor, turns 58

1965 Paulina Porizkova, Actress, model, turns 47

1966 Cynthia Nixon, Actress (“Sex and the City”), turns 46

1977 Gerard Way, Rock singer (My Chemical Romance), turns 35

1979 Keshia Knight Pulliam, Actress (“The Cosby Show”), turns 33

1987 Jesse McCartney, Actor, singer, turns 25

1998 Elle Fanning, Actress (“Because of Winn-Dixie”), turns 14

Historic Birthdays

Gregory Pincus 4/9/1903 – 8/22/1967 American endocrinologist; helped develop the birth control pill.Go to obituary »

82 John Bacon 4/9/1738 – 10/25/1820
American clergyman, legislator and judge; advocate of civil and religious liberty

53 Isambard Brunel 4/9/1806 – 9/15/1859
English civil and mechanical engineer; designed the first transatlantic steamer

46 Charles Baudelaire 4/9/1821 – 8/31/1867
French poet, translator and literary critic

66 Emily Hobhouse 4/9/1860 – 6/8/1926
English reformer and social worker

78 Leon Blum 4/9/1872 – 3/30/1950
French politician; first Socialist and Jewish premier of France (1936-37)

86 Frank King 4/9/1883 – 6/24/1969
American comic-strip artist; created “Gasoline Alley”

86 Sol Hurok 4/9/1888 – 3/5/1974
Russian-born impresario; popularized classical ballet and music in America

78 Paul Robeson 4/9/1898 – 1/23/1976
American singer, actor and black activist

67 Curly Lambeau 4/9/1898 – 6/1/1965
American football coach and founder of the Green Bay Packers

90 J. William Fulbright 4/9/1905 – 2/9/1995
American senator

82 Antal Dorati 4/9/1906 – 11/13/1988
Hungarian-born American conductor

1939	Black singer Marian Anderson performed at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., after she was denied the use of Constitution Hall by the Daughters of the American Revolution because of her race.
1940	Germany invaded Denmark and Norway during World War II.
1942	American and Philippine defenders on Bataan capitulated to Japanese forces during World War II.
1959	NASA announced the selection of America’s first seven astronauts: Scott Carpenter, Gordon Cooper, John Glenn, Gus Grissom, Wally Schirra, Alan Shepard and Donald Slayton.
1969	The album “Nashville Skyline” by Bob Dylan was released.
1992	Former Panamanian ruler Manuel Noriega was convicted in Miami of eight drug and racketeering charges.
2001	American Airlines’ parent company acquired bankrupt Trans World Airlines.
2003	Jubilant Iraqis celebrated the collapse of Saddam Hussein’s regime, beheading a toppled statue of their longtime ruler in downtown Baghdad.
2005	Britain’s Prince Charles married Camilla Parker Bowles, who took the title Duchess of Cornwall.

1926	Hugh Hefner, Playboy magazine founder, turns 86
1932	Jim Fowler, Naturalist, turns 80
1939	Michael Learned, Actress (“The Waltons”), turns 73
1953	Hal Ketchum, Country singer, turns 59
1954	Dennis Quaid, Actor, turns 58
1965	Paulina Porizkova, Actress, model, turns 47
1966	Cynthia Nixon, Actress (“Sex and the City”), turns 46
1977	Gerard Way, Rock singer (My Chemical Romance), turns 35
1979	Keshia Knight Pulliam, Actress (“The Cosby Show”), turns 33
1987	Jesse McCartney, Actor, singer, turns 25
1998	Elle Fanning, Actress (“Because of Winn-Dixie”), turns 14

82	John Bacon 4/9/1738 – 10/25/1820 American clergyman, legislator and judge; advocate of civil and religious liberty
53	Isambard Brunel 4/9/1806 – 9/15/1859 English civil and mechanical engineer; designed the first transatlantic steamer
46	Charles Baudelaire 4/9/1821 – 8/31/1867 French poet, translator and literary critic
66	Emily Hobhouse 4/9/1860 – 6/8/1926 English reformer and social worker
78	Leon Blum 4/9/1872 – 3/30/1950 French politician; first Socialist and Jewish premier of France (1936-37)
86	Frank King 4/9/1883 – 6/24/1969 American comic-strip artist; created “Gasoline Alley”
86	Sol Hurok 4/9/1888 – 3/5/1974 Russian-born impresario; popularized classical ballet and music in America
78	Paul Robeson 4/9/1898 – 1/23/1976 American singer, actor and black activist
67	Curly Lambeau 4/9/1898 – 6/1/1965 American football coach and founder of the Green Bay Packers
90	J. William Fulbright 4/9/1905 – 2/9/1995 American senator
82	Antal Dorati 4/9/1906 – 11/13/1988 Hungarian-born American conductor