On This Day April 29

1993
Confederate Flag: Alabama's governor bans the flying of the Confederate battle flag on the state Capitol building after protests from black leaders who viewed it as a symbol of racism.

1992
Rodney King beating: The four white police officers accused of beating King are acquitted. L.A. street riots followed - the worst U.S. riots in 75 years. 51 people were killed, 2,383 were injured, and more than 9,000 were arrested.

1975
Saigon Embassy Evacuation: The American embassy in Saigon, Vietnam is evacuated. 1,373 U.S. citizens and 5,595 Vietnamese and third-country nationals are evacuated to U.S. Navy ships.

1945
World War II: The German concentration camp at Dachau is liberated by U.S. troops. Used as a "medical research" center, it is believed that 30,000 people were killed there.

1945
Adolf Hitler: The German leader marries his mistress Eva Braun. They reportedly committed suicide together the following day, although their bodies have never been found.

1893
The Liberty Bell arrives in Chicago for the World's Columbian Exposition.

1970
Andre Agassi, American tennis player, former World #1 player, winner of eight grand slam singles titles.

1957 d. 2003
Timothy Treadwell (Timothy Dexter), American environmentalist, "Grizzly Man." After spending 13 summers with the brown bears in Alaska, he and his girlfriend were killed and partially eaten by one. This was the first fatal bear attack in Katmai National Park history. The film Grizzly Man (2005) documents his work and death with the bears. Writings: Among Grizzlies: Living With Wild Bears in Alaska (1997).

1957
Michelle Pfeiffer, American actress. Film: The Fabulous Baker Boys (1989).

1957
Daniel Day-Lewis, English Oscar-winning actor. Film: A Room With a View (1986) and My Left Foot (1989, Oscar).

1915
Donald Mills, American singer, with the Mills Brothers, the most popular vocal group of all time.

1909
Tom Ewell (Yewell Tompkins), American actor. Film: The Seven Year Itch (1955). TV: Baretta (Billy Truman).

1901 d. 1989
Michinomiya Hirohito, 124th Japanese emperor (1926-89). His reign was designated "Showa" (Enlightened Peace). He was the first Japanese emperor to travel abroad (1971).

1899 d. 1974
Duke Ellington (Edward Kennedy Ellington), American jazz musician. Was awarded (1969) the Presidential Medal of Freedom by Pres. Nixon.

1893 d. 1981
Harold Clayton Urey, American chemist. He discovered heavy water (1931), for which he won the 1934 Nobel Prize for Chemistry.

1879 d. 1961
Sir Thomas Beecham, British conductor, founded the London Philharmonic orchestra (1932).

1877 d. 1929
Tad Dorgan (Thomas Aloysius Dorgan), cartoonist, creator of Judge Rummy's Court, Silk Hat Harry, and Indoor Sports.

1863 d. 1951
William Randolph Hearst, American newspaper publisher, political figure.

1980 b. 1899
Sir Alfred Hitchcock, British Oscar-winning director, "The Master of Suspense." Film: Vertigo (1958) and Psycho (1960, with its famous shower scene). TV: Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1955-62). Quote: "Television has brought murder back into the home - where it belongs."

1937 b. 1896
Wallace Hume Carothers, American chemist. He invented nylon (1934) while working for the du Pont Company. He also developed neoprene, the first successful synthetic rubber (1931).

April 29

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