What Happened on October 12?

October 12 is National Farmer's Day — thanking people who grow our food — on the same date Columbus reached the Bahamas in 1492, Oktoberfest began in 1810, and Equatorial Guinea became independent in 1968.

• 1492 — Columbus's expedition makes landfall in the Bahamas

  On October 12, 1492, Christopher Columbus's ships reached an island in the Bahamas — beginning lasting contact between Europe and the Americas. Read the full story →

• 1810 — The first Oktoberfest celebration begins in Munich

  On October 12, 1810, Munich celebrated a royal wedding with horse races — the party that grew into Oktoberfest. Read the full story →

• 1915 — Nurse Edith Cavell is executed in German-occupied Belgium

  On October 12, 1915, British nurse Edith Cavell was executed for helping Allied soldiers escape — becoming a World War I symbol of courage and controversy. Read the full story →

• 1960 — Nikita Khrushchev disrupts a UN session with an angry outburst

  On October 12, 1960, Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev created a Cold War scene at the United Nations — famously linked to shoe-banging stories. Read the full story →

• 1968 — Equatorial Guinea gains independence from Spain

  On October 12, 1968, Equatorial Guinea became independent from Spain. Read the full story →

Famous birthdays

Hugh Jackman (1968) · Luciano Pavarotti (1935–2007) · Kirk Cameron (1970) · Marion Jones (1975)

Days & observances

National Farmer's Day · Indigenous Peoples' Day · Freethought Day · National Gumbo Day