Frank Reno.

The Reno brothers carry out the first train robbery in U.S. history

Born on This Day

Carole Lombard

Carole Lombard

1908 - 1942

American actress who brought a loopy elegance to screwball comedies like "To Be or Not to Be" and "My Man Godfrey."

Fannie Hamer Entering Democratic National Convention

Fannie Lou Hamer

1917 - 1977

Organizer of Mississippi's Freedom Summer for civil rights in 1964. Co-founded the National Women's Political Caucus.

Lonnie Johnson

Lonnie Johnson

1949 -

American inventor, entrepreneur and former NASA researcher who created the Super Soaker water gun.

Carole LombardGetty Images

Fannie Lou HamerBettmann Archive

Lonnie JohnsonGetty Images

1927

OCT6

"The Jazz Singer" premieres, ushering out Hollywood's silent era. While hailed as the first feature-length "talkie"—and earning blockbuster sums at the box office—the film had only about two minutes of synchronized dialogue; the rest used titles.

Timeline

Also on This Day in History

Discover more of the major events, famous births, notable deaths and everything else history-making that happened on October 6th

Austria-Hungary annexes Bosnia-Herzegovina

On October 6, 1908, the Dual Monarchy of Austria-Hungary announces its annexation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, dual provinces in the Balkan region of Europe formerly under the control of the Ottoman Empire. Though Bosnia and Herzegovina were still nominally under the control of the Ottoman Sultan in 1908, Austria-Hungary had administered the provinces since the […]

Babe Ruth sets a World Series record

On October 6, 1926, Yankee slugger Babe Ruth hits a record three homers against the St. Louis Cardinals in the fourth game of the World Series. The Yanks won the game 10-5, but despite Ruth’s unprecedented performance, they lost the championship in the seventh game. In 1928, in the fourth game of another Yanks-Cards World […]

2:14m read read

The Yom Kippur War brings United States and USSR to brink of conflict

The surprise attack by Egyptian and Syrian forces on Israel in October 1973 throws the Middle East into turmoil and threatens to bring the United States and the Soviet Union into direct conflict for the first time since the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962. Though actual combat did not break out between the two nations, […]

1:58m read read

The president of Egypt is assassinated

Islamic extremists assassinate Anwar Sadat, the president of Egypt, as he reviews troops on the anniversary of the Yom Kippur War. Led by Khaled el Islambouli, a lieutenant in the Egyptian army with connections to the terrorist group Takfir Wal-Hajira, the terrorists, all wearing army uniforms, stopped in front of the reviewing stand and fired […]

1:36m read read

Bill Clinton debates Bob Dole

On October 6, 1996, Democratic President Bill Clinton faces his Republican challenger, Senator Bob Dole from Kansas, in their first debate of that year’s presidential campaign. The debate, which took place in Hartford, Connecticut, and was moderated by Jim Lehrer of PBS, gave the candidates a chance to put forth their views on education, the […]

1:56m read read

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