109 years ago today
The Apparitions of Our Lady of Fátima Begin
On May 13, 1917, three young shepherd children — Lúcia Santos and her cousins Jacinta and Francisco Marto — reported seeing an apparition of the Virgin Mary in a field near Fátima, Portugal. The vision, which they described as a "Lady brighter than the sun," asked them to return on the thirteenth of each month for six months. Word spread rapidly, and by October some 70,000 people gathered at the site and reported witnessing a dramatic solar phenomenon known as the "Miracle of the Sun." Fátima became one of the most visited Marian shrines in the world, attracting millions of pilgrims annually. The site's significance deepened when Pope John Paul II, who survived an assassination attempt on May 13, 1981, credited Our Lady of Fátima with saving his life.
Stevie Wonder
American singer-songwriter and pianist
Stevie Wonder is one of the most celebrated musicians in history, having written and produced hit records across six decades. Born blind, he signed with Motown at age 11 and achieved extraordinary creative heights in the 1970s with albums like "Songs in the Key of Life" and "Innervisions," winning 25 Grammy Awards.
Joe Louis
American heavyweight boxing champion
Joe Louis held the world heavyweight boxing championship for a record 11 years and 252 days, defending his title 25 times. His 1938 rematch victory over German Max Schmeling was celebrated across America as a symbolic defeat of Nazi ideology.
Daphne du Maurier
English novelist and playwright
Daphne du Maurier wrote some of the most atmospheric and suspenseful novels of the twentieth century. Her 1938 novel "Rebecca" became a classic of psychological suspense and was famously adapted by Alfred Hitchcock, as was her short story "The Birds."
Georges Braque
French painter and sculptor
Georges Braque co-founded Cubism alongside Pablo Picasso in the years before World War I, shattering the conventions of Western painting with fragmented, multi-perspective representations. His later work incorporated collage and became increasingly lyrical and decorative.
Robert Pattinson
English actor
Robert Pattinson achieved global fame playing Edward Cullen in the "Twilight" film series before establishing a reputation as one of his generation's most adventurous actors in films by auteurs including David Cronenberg, Werner Herzog, and Christopher Nolan.
Miyamoto Musashi Defeats Sasaki Kojirō
Japan's greatest swordsman Miyamoto Musashi killed his legendary rival Sasaki Kojirō on the island of Ganryūjima in a duel that has been mythologized for centuries. Musashi arrived late, carved a wooden sword from his oar, and won in a single stroke.
United States Declares War on Mexico
Following skirmishes on disputed Texas border territory, the U.S. Congress declared war on Mexico. The resulting conflict ended with the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, under which Mexico ceded roughly half its territory to the United States.
Robert Smalls Steals Confederate Steamboat
Robert Smalls, an enslaved man, commandeered the Confederate transport ship CSS Planter in Charleston harbor, delivered it to the Union Navy, and freed himself and his family. He later became a U.S. Congressman — one of the most remarkable stories of the Civil War era.
Brazil Abolishes Slavery
Princess Imperial Regent Isabel signed the Lei Áurea (Golden Law), immediately abolishing slavery in Brazil — the last country in the Western Hemisphere to do so. The act freed an estimated 700,000 people.
Churchill Delivers "Blood, Toil, Tears and Sweat" Speech
Three days into his premiership, Winston Churchill gave his first speech to the House of Commons, declaring his policy to be "to wage war, by sea, land, and air, with all our might" against Nazi Germany.
Axis Forces Surrender in Tunisia, Ending North African Campaign
Some 250,000 Axis troops surrendered in Tunisia, ending the North African campaign and opening the way for the Allied invasion of Sicily and Italy. It was a catastrophic defeat for Germany and Italy.
First Formula One World Championship Race
The British Grand Prix at Silverstone became the first race of the inaugural Formula One World Championship. Giuseppe Farina of Italy won and went on to claim the first F1 drivers' title at the season's end.
Pope John Paul II Survives Assassination Attempt
Turkish gunman Mehmet Ali Ağca shot Pope John Paul II twice in St. Peter's Square, critically wounding him. The Pope survived surgery and later visited Ağca in prison to forgive him personally, saying the date coincided with the anniversary of the first Fátima apparition.
Students Occupy Tiananmen Square
Student protesters in Beijing began a hunger strike in Tiananmen Square, escalating what had been weeks of demonstrations and pressuring the Chinese government ahead of the imminent state visit of Mikhail Gorbachev.
HistorIQly Chat
Ask the figures of history about this day
Dive deeper — ask questions, challenge assumptions, hear the story in their own words. Powered by AI, grounded in history.
Start a conversation →Sholem Aleichem
Ukrainian-American Yiddish author
Sholem Aleichem was the greatest Yiddish-language author, whose stories about Tevye the Dairyman formed the basis for the beloved musical "Fiddler on the Roof." He is sometimes called the "Jewish Mark Twain" — a comparison Twain reportedly found flattering.
Gary Cooper
American actor
Gary Cooper won two Academy Awards for Best Actor and embodied American stoicism and integrity in a screen career spanning three decades. His iconic performances in "High Noon" and "Sergeant York" made him one of Hollywood's greatest stars.
Fridtjof Nansen
Norwegian explorer and Nobel Peace Prize laureate
Fridtjof Nansen was a pioneering Arctic explorer who made the first crossing of Greenland on skis in 1888 and attempted to reach the North Pole in 1895. After World War I he became a humanitarian statesman, winning the Nobel Peace Prize in 1922 for his work repatriating prisoners of war and aiding famine victims.
Doris Day
American actress and singer
Doris Day was one of Hollywood's biggest box-office stars throughout the 1950s and 60s, known for sunny romantic comedies alongside Rock Hudson and James Garner. Her recording of "Que Sera, Sera" became one of the most recognized songs of the twentieth century. She was also a devoted animal rights activist.
The figures and events above are only the beginning. Dive deeper into history with HistorIQly's full collection.
Discover Your Day
What happened on your birthday?
Every date in history holds its own stories. Find the events, birthdays, and turning points that share your day.