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  • Petersburg, Virginia, U.S.
    Saturday Apr 1, 1865
    Abraham Lincoln

    Grant nearly encircled Petersburg in a siege

    Petersburg, Virginia, U.S.
    Saturday Apr 1, 1865

    As Grant continued to weaken Lee's forces, efforts to discuss peace began. Confederate Vice President Stephens led a group meeting with Lincoln, Seward, and others at Hampton Roads. Lincoln refused to negotiate with the Confederacy as a coequal; his objective to end the fighting was not realized. On April 1, 1865, Grant nearly encircled Petersburg in a siege. The Confederate government evacuated Richmond and Lincoln visited the conquered capital. On April 9, Lee surrendered to Grant at Appomattox, officially ending the war.




  • Virginia, U.S.
    Wednesday Apr 1, 1942
    Desmond Doss: Hacksaw Ridge

    World War II service

    Virginia, U.S.
    Wednesday Apr 1, 1942

    Before the outbreak of World War II, Doss was employed as a joiner at a shipyard in Newport News, Virginia. He chose military service, despite being offered a deferment because of his shipyard work, on April 1, 1942, at Camp Lee, Virginia. He was sent to Fort Jackson in South Carolina for training with the reactivated 77th Infantry Division. Meanwhile, his brother Harold served aboard the USS Lindsey.




  • U.S.
    Friday Apr 1, 1949
    Anna May Wong

    Impact

    U.S.
    Friday Apr 1, 1949

    After a six-year absence, Wong returned to film the same year with a small role in a B movie called Impact.




  • Birmingham, Alabama, U.S.
    Monday Apr 1, 1963
    Martin Luther King

    Birmingham campaign

    Birmingham, Alabama, U.S.
    Monday Apr 1, 1963

    In April 1963, the SCLC began a campaign against racial segregation and economic injustice in Birmingham, Alabama. The campaign used nonviolent but intentionally confrontational tactics, developed in part by Rev. Wyatt Tee Walker. Black people in Birmingham, organizing with the SCLC, occupied public spaces with marches and sit-ins, openly violating laws that they considered unjust.




  • Washington D.C., U.S.
    Monday Apr 1, 1968
    World Bank

    Robert McNamara became President of the World Bank

    Washington D.C., U.S.
    Monday Apr 1, 1968

    Robert McNamara became President of the World Bank.




  • Cupertino, California , U.S.
    Thursday Apr 1, 1976
    Apple Inc.

    Foundation

    Cupertino, California , U.S.
    Thursday Apr 1, 1976

    Apple Computer Company was founded on April 1, 1976, by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Ronald Wayne.




  • Milton, Massachusetts, U.S.
    Tuesday Apr 1, 1980
    April Fools' Day

    Pranks (U.S.)

    Milton, Massachusetts, U.S.
    Tuesday Apr 1, 1980

    Great Blue Hill eruption prank: On April 1, 1980, Boston television station WNAC-TV aired a fake news bulletin at the end of the 6 o'clock news which reported that Great Blue Hill in Milton, Massachusetts was erupting. The prank resulted in panic in Milton, where some residents began to flee their homes. The executive producer of the 6 o'clock news, Homer Cilley, was fired by the station for "his failure to exercise good news judgment" and for violating the Federal Communications Commission's rules about showing stock footage without identifying it as such.


  • U.S.
    Thursday Apr 1, 1982
    Computer

    The Grid Compass

    U.S.
    Thursday Apr 1, 1982

    The first mobile computers were heavy and ran from mains power. The first laptops, such as the Grid Compass, removed this requirement by incorporating batteries – and with the continued miniaturization of computing resources and advancements in portable battery life.


  • U.S.
    Thursday Apr 1, 1993
    IBM

    The Biggest Loss

    U.S.
    Thursday Apr 1, 1993

    In 1993 IBM posted an US$8 billion loss – at the time the biggest in American corporate history. Lou Gerstner was hired as CEO from RJR Nabisco to turn the company around, on 1 April 1993.


  • Mountain View, California, U.S.
    Saturday Apr 1, 2000
    Google LLC

    The First April Fools' Day Jokes

    Mountain View, California, U.S.
    Saturday Apr 1, 2000

    Google has a tradition of creating April Fools' Day jokes. Its first on April 1, 2000 was Google MentalPlex which allegedly featured the use of mental power to search the web.


  • Houston, Texas, U.S.
    Sunday Apr 1, 2001
    Dwayne Johnson

    WrestleMania X-Seven

    Houston, Texas, U.S.
    Sunday Apr 1, 2001

    The Rock feuded with the Royal Rumble winner, Stone Cold Steve Austin, whom he lost the title to at WrestleMania X-Seven after Austin allied with Vince McMahon, who interfered on his behalf.


  • Los Angeles, California, U.S.
    Thursday Apr 1, 2010
    League of Legends

    Urf the Manatee

    Los Angeles, California, U.S.
    Thursday Apr 1, 2010

    In 2010 Riot staged an April Fool's Joke where they introduced a fake new champion, "Urf the Manatee." After a large amount of enthusiasm from the game's player base, Riot decided to donate the proceeds made from selling in-game skins to the Save the Manatee Club, a national non-profit organization striving to save and raise awareness of manatees.


  • Miami Gardens, Florida, U.S.
    Sunday Apr 1, 2012
    Dwayne Johnson

    WrestleMania XXVIII

    Miami Gardens, Florida, U.S.
    Sunday Apr 1, 2012

    On April 1, at WrestleMania XXVIII, The Rock beat Cena in the main event after countering Cena's attempt at a People's Elbow into a Rock Bottom.


  • Palo Alto, California, U.S.
    Monday Apr 1, 2019
    Tesla, Inc.

    Settlement with the United States Environmental Protection Agency

    Palo Alto, California, U.S.
    Monday Apr 1, 2019

    On April 1, 2019, Tesla reached a settlement with the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) over its mishandling of hazardous waste in 2017.


  • San Jose, California, U.S.
    Wednesday Apr 1, 2020
    Zoom Video Communications

    Zoom announced a 90-day freeze on releasing new features

    San Jose, California, U.S.
    Wednesday Apr 1, 2020

    On April 1, 2020, Zoom announced a 90-day freeze on releasing new features, to focus on fixing privacy and security issues on Zoom.


  • Petersburg, Virginia, U.S.
    Saturday Apr 1, 1865
    Abraham Lincoln

    Grant nearly encircled Petersburg in a siege

    Petersburg, Virginia, U.S.
    Saturday Apr 1, 1865

    As Grant continued to weaken Lee's forces, efforts to discuss peace began. Confederate Vice President Stephens led a group meeting with Lincoln, Seward, and others at Hampton Roads. Lincoln refused to negotiate with the Confederacy as a coequal; his objective to end the fighting was not realized. On April 1, 1865, Grant nearly encircled Petersburg in a siege. The Confederate government evacuated Richmond and Lincoln visited the conquered capital. On April 9, Lee surrendered to Grant at Appomattox, officially ending the war.


  • Virginia, U.S.
    Wednesday Apr 1, 1942
    Desmond Doss: Hacksaw Ridge

    World War II service

    Virginia, U.S.
    Wednesday Apr 1, 1942

    Before the outbreak of World War II, Doss was employed as a joiner at a shipyard in Newport News, Virginia. He chose military service, despite being offered a deferment because of his shipyard work, on April 1, 1942, at Camp Lee, Virginia. He was sent to Fort Jackson in South Carolina for training with the reactivated 77th Infantry Division. Meanwhile, his brother Harold served aboard the USS Lindsey.


  • U.S.
    Friday Apr 1, 1949
    Anna May Wong

    Impact

    U.S.
    Friday Apr 1, 1949

    After a six-year absence, Wong returned to film the same year with a small role in a B movie called Impact.


  • Birmingham, Alabama, U.S.
    Monday Apr 1, 1963
    Martin Luther King

    Birmingham campaign

    Birmingham, Alabama, U.S.
    Monday Apr 1, 1963

    In April 1963, the SCLC began a campaign against racial segregation and economic injustice in Birmingham, Alabama. The campaign used nonviolent but intentionally confrontational tactics, developed in part by Rev. Wyatt Tee Walker. Black people in Birmingham, organizing with the SCLC, occupied public spaces with marches and sit-ins, openly violating laws that they considered unjust.


  • Washington D.C., U.S.
    Monday Apr 1, 1968
    World Bank

    Robert McNamara became President of the World Bank

    Washington D.C., U.S.
    Monday Apr 1, 1968

    Robert McNamara became President of the World Bank.


  • Cupertino, California , U.S.
    Thursday Apr 1, 1976
    Apple Inc.

    Foundation

    Cupertino, California , U.S.
    Thursday Apr 1, 1976

    Apple Computer Company was founded on April 1, 1976, by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Ronald Wayne.


  • Milton, Massachusetts, U.S.
    Tuesday Apr 1, 1980
    April Fools' Day

    Pranks (U.S.)

    Milton, Massachusetts, U.S.
    Tuesday Apr 1, 1980

    Great Blue Hill eruption prank: On April 1, 1980, Boston television station WNAC-TV aired a fake news bulletin at the end of the 6 o'clock news which reported that Great Blue Hill in Milton, Massachusetts was erupting. The prank resulted in panic in Milton, where some residents began to flee their homes. The executive producer of the 6 o'clock news, Homer Cilley, was fired by the station for "his failure to exercise good news judgment" and for violating the Federal Communications Commission's rules about showing stock footage without identifying it as such.


  • U.S.
    Thursday Apr 1, 1982
    Computer

    The Grid Compass

    U.S.
    Thursday Apr 1, 1982

    The first mobile computers were heavy and ran from mains power. The first laptops, such as the Grid Compass, removed this requirement by incorporating batteries – and with the continued miniaturization of computing resources and advancements in portable battery life.


  • U.S.
    Thursday Apr 1, 1993
    IBM

    The Biggest Loss

    U.S.
    Thursday Apr 1, 1993

    In 1993 IBM posted an US$8 billion loss – at the time the biggest in American corporate history. Lou Gerstner was hired as CEO from RJR Nabisco to turn the company around, on 1 April 1993.


  • Mountain View, California, U.S.
    Saturday Apr 1, 2000
    Google LLC

    The First April Fools' Day Jokes

    Mountain View, California, U.S.
    Saturday Apr 1, 2000

    Google has a tradition of creating April Fools' Day jokes. Its first on April 1, 2000 was Google MentalPlex which allegedly featured the use of mental power to search the web.


  • Houston, Texas, U.S.
    Sunday Apr 1, 2001
    Dwayne Johnson

    WrestleMania X-Seven

    Houston, Texas, U.S.
    Sunday Apr 1, 2001

    The Rock feuded with the Royal Rumble winner, Stone Cold Steve Austin, whom he lost the title to at WrestleMania X-Seven after Austin allied with Vince McMahon, who interfered on his behalf.


  • Los Angeles, California, U.S.
    Thursday Apr 1, 2010
    League of Legends

    Urf the Manatee

    Los Angeles, California, U.S.
    Thursday Apr 1, 2010

    In 2010 Riot staged an April Fool's Joke where they introduced a fake new champion, "Urf the Manatee." After a large amount of enthusiasm from the game's player base, Riot decided to donate the proceeds made from selling in-game skins to the Save the Manatee Club, a national non-profit organization striving to save and raise awareness of manatees.


  • Miami Gardens, Florida, U.S.
    Sunday Apr 1, 2012
    Dwayne Johnson

    WrestleMania XXVIII

    Miami Gardens, Florida, U.S.
    Sunday Apr 1, 2012

    On April 1, at WrestleMania XXVIII, The Rock beat Cena in the main event after countering Cena's attempt at a People's Elbow into a Rock Bottom.


  • Palo Alto, California, U.S.
    Monday Apr 1, 2019
    Tesla, Inc.

    Settlement with the United States Environmental Protection Agency

    Palo Alto, California, U.S.
    Monday Apr 1, 2019

    On April 1, 2019, Tesla reached a settlement with the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) over its mishandling of hazardous waste in 2017.


  • San Jose, California, U.S.
    Wednesday Apr 1, 2020
    Zoom Video Communications

    Zoom announced a 90-day freeze on releasing new features

    San Jose, California, U.S.
    Wednesday Apr 1, 2020

    On April 1, 2020, Zoom announced a 90-day freeze on releasing new features, to focus on fixing privacy and security issues on Zoom.


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