On This Day for May 9 - Fourth and final voyage of Christopher Columbus launched, Howard Carter is featured, and more

This message contains graphics. If you do not see the graphics, click here to view. May 09 FEATURED BIOGRAPHY Howard Carter READ MORE   FEATURED EVENT 1502 Fourth and final voyage of Christopher Columbus launched READ MORE   Advertisement Advertisement   MORE EVENTS ON THIS DAY 2020: American singer and pianist Little Richard, whose hit songs of the mid-1950s were defining moments in the development of rock and roll, died at age 87. [How much do you know about rock and roll? ] 1980: The horror film classic Friday the 13th, about summer camp counselors being hunted by a masked killer, was released in theatres, and its huge success led to a popular franchise. [Test your knowledge of scary movies.] 1974: The U.S. House Judiciary Committee began formal hearings in the impeachment investigation of President Richard M. Nixon. [Read about nine American political scandals.] 1960: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the first birth control pill. [Sort fact from fiction in our quiz about the human body.] 1958: Alfred Hitchcock's psychological thriller Vertigo, starring James Stewart and Kim Novak, premiered in San Francisco and became widely regarded as one of the greatest movies ever. [Test your knowledge of films.] 1939: American track-and-field athlete Ralph Boston, the first man to jump more than 27 feet (8.23 metres), was born in Laurel, Mississippi. [How much do you know about sports?] SEE ALL EVENTS ON THIS DAY ALSO BORN ON THIS DAY 1949 Billy Joel American musician 1800 John Brown American abolitionist 1936 Albert Finney British actor 1860 J.M. Barrie Scottish author 1934 Alan Bennett British playwright 1874 Howard Carter British archaeologist 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 © 2021 Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc. Privacy Policy • Help