What Happened on April 22?

April 22 is Earth Day, when people in nearly 200 countries celebrate and protect our planet. It is also the day 50,000 settlers raced to claim land in Oklahoma!

• 1864 — 'In God We Trust' first appears on U.S. coins

  Congress told the Mint to add 'In God We Trust' to America's coins during the Civil War, starting with the new two-cent piece. Read the full story →

• 1889 — 50,000 settlers sprint into Oklahoma at the great Land Rush

  At high noon, thousands of wagons, horses, and even bicycles charged into two million acres of Unassigned Lands as the famous Oklahoma Land Rush began. Read the full story →

• 1970 — The first Earth Day brings 20 million Americans together

  On April 22, 1970, about 20 million people — roughly one in ten Americans — joined coast-to-coast rallies demanding cleaner air, water, and land, launching the modern environmental movement. Read the full story →

• 1998 — Disney's Animal Kingdom opens — on Earth Day on purpose

  Walt Disney World opened its fourth theme park on Earth Day by design, welcoming a kingdom of animals 'real, ancient, and imagined' and making conservation part of the fun. Read the full story →

Famous birthdays

Jack Nicholson (1937) · Glen Campbell (1936–2017)

Days & observances

Earth Day