What Happened on April 24?

April 24 is National Pigs in a Blanket Day — and the anniversary of the Hubble Space Telescope soaring into orbit in 1990 and President John Adams signing the Library of Congress into law in 1800.

• 1800 — President Adams signs the act creating the Library of Congress

  On April 24, 1800, President John Adams approved $5,000 to buy books for Congress — planting the seed of America's national library, now the world's largest. Read the full story →

• 1898 — Spain declares war on the United States

  On April 24, 1898, Spain declared war on the U.S. — one day after Congress authorized force over Cuba — launching the brief Spanish-American War. Read the full story →

• 1916 — The Easter Rising begins in Dublin, Ireland

  On Easter Monday, April 24, 1916, Irish republicans seized buildings in Dublin to declare independence from British rule — a rebellion that reshaped Irish history. Read the full story →

• 1953 — Nature journal receives the Watson-Crick DNA structure paper

  On April 24, 1953, the journal Nature received the manuscript describing DNA's double-helix shape — one day before it revolutionized biology worldwide. Read the full story →

• 1990 — Space Shuttle Discovery launches the Hubble Space Telescope

  On April 24, 1990, astronauts aboard Discovery released Hubble into orbit — a telescope that would rewrite astronomy with crystal-clear views beyond Earth's blurry atmosphere. Read the full story →

Famous birthdays

Barbra Streisand (1942) · Robert Penn Warren (1905–1989) · Shirley MacLaine (1934) · Kelly Clarkson (1982)

Days & observances

National Pigs in a Blanket Day · Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day · National Skip the Straw Day of Action (observed near April) · National Library Workers Day