April 10, 2020
Day 101 of 366

 

April 10th is the 101st day of the year. It is International Siblings Day.

It is also Good Friday, a Christian holiday commemorating the crucifixion of Jesus and his death at Calvary. It is observed during Holy Week, preceding Easter Sunday, and coincides this year with Passover.

In the United States, today is “celebrated” as National Cinnamon Crescent Day, Encourage a Young Writer Day, and National Farm Animals Day.

 

Historical items of note:

• In 837, Halley’s Comet made its closest approach to Earth at a distance of 3.2 million miles.
• In 1710, the Statute of Anne, the first law regulating copyright, came into force in Great Britain.
• In 1886, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) was founded in New York City by Henry Bergh.
• In 1872, the first Arbor Day was celebrated in Nebraska.
• In 1912, RMS Titanic set sail from Southampton, England on her maiden voyage. It would also be her only voyage.
• In 1915, actor Harry Morgan was born.
• In 1925, The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald was first published in New York City.
• In 1929, actor Max Von Sydow was born.
• In 1954, actor Peter MacNicol was born.
• In 1963, the nuclear submarine USS Thresher (SSN-593) was lost at sea. One hundred twenty-nine sailors were lost when key systems failed during deep-diving tests. The incident was the first loss of a nuclear submarine in history, and resulted in the development of the SUBSAFE program, a rigorous submarine safety maintenance standard.
• In 1970, Paul McCartney announced that he was leaving The Beatles for personal and professional reasons.
• In 1971, in an attempt to thaw relations with the United States, China hosted the United States table tennis team for a week-long visit.
• In 1975, actor David Harbour was born.
• In 1982, actress and singer Chyler Leigh was born.
• In 1984, actress and singer Mandy Moore was born.
• In 1988, actor Haley Joel Osment was born.
• In 1992, actress Daisy Ridley was born.
• In 1998, the Good Friday Agreement was signed in Northern Ireland. The pair of agreements ended most of the violence of the Troubles, a political conflict in Northern Ireland that had been ongoing since the 1960s.
• In 2019, scientists from the Event Horizon Telescope project announced the first-ever image of a black hole, located in the center of the M87 galaxy.

 

This year, April 10th is the National Day of Silence.

National Day of Silence in April is a student-led movement to protest bullying and harassment of LGBTQIA+ students and those who support them. The observance brings awareness and illustrates to schools and colleges how intimidation, name-calling, and general bullying has a silencing effect. Participating students take a day-long vow of silence.

Bullying and harassment come in several forms, from verbal and physical to damage to property, manipulation, intimidation, and long-term micro-aggressions that build over time. Whether it comes in a physical or verbal form, both are harmful and leave lasting damage.

No matter the form, the effects on the individual and surrounding community can be destructive. It behooves us all to fight against bullying and harassment for the safety and health of our communities overall.

 

The Thing About Today is an effort to look at each day of 2020 with respect to its historical context.

For more creativity with a critical eye, visit Creative Criticality.