On This Day for October 31 - Luther's Ninety-five Theses posted, Indira Gandhi is featured, and more

This message contains graphics. If you do not see the graphics, click here to view. October 31 FEATURED BIOGRAPHY Indira Gandhi READ MORE   FEATURED EVENT 1517 Luther's Ninety-five Theses posted READ MORE   Advertisement Advertisement   MORE EVENTS ON THIS DAY Today: Although Halloween, celebrated this day, is now observed largely as a secular holiday, it is, as the eve of All Saints' Day, also a religious holiday among some Christians. [How much do you know about Halloween?] 2008: American author and oral historian Studs Terkel, who chronicled the lives of Americans from the Great Depression to the early 21st century, died in Chicago. [Take our quiz abut famous authors.] 1968: U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson ordered an end to American bombing in North Vietnam. [ Test your knowledge of the Vietnam War.] 1962: The American psychological thriller What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?, a late-career triumph for both Bette Davis and Joan Crawford, was released in American theatres. [Take our quiz about women in classic cinema.] 1941: After nearly 15 years of work, the Mount Rushmore National Memorial in the Black Hills of South Dakota was completed; the colossal sculpture features the heads of Presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln. [Test your knowledge of national parks and landmarks.] 1926: Harry Houdini, the magician and escape artist, died of peritonitis stemming from a stomach injury. [ Sort fact from fiction in our quiz about history makers.] SEE ALL EVENTS ON THIS DAY ALSO BORN ON THIS DAY 1887 Chiang Kai-shek Chinese statesman 1961 Peter Jackson New Zealand director 1926 Jimmy Savile British entertainer 1795 John Keats British poet 1936 Michael Landon American actor, director, and producer 1931 Dan Rather American newscaster SEE ALL BIOS ON THIS DAY   Advertisement   FOLLOW: To unsubscribe from Britannica e-mails, click here. Encyclopædia Britannica 325 N. LaSalle Street, Suite 200 Chicago, Illinois 60654 United States © 2020 Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc. Privacy Policy • Help