On This Day - What Happened On October 31 | Britannica

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1517 Luther's Ninety-five Theses posted According to tradition, Martin Luther this day in 1517 posted on a church door in Wittenberg, Germany, his Ninety-five Theses, a manifesto that turned a protest about an indulgence scandal into the Protestant Reformation. Photos.com/Getty Images

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Indira Gandhi prime minister of India bornNovember 19, 1917Prayagraj, IndiadiedOctober 31, 1984 (aged 66)Delhi, IndiaLibrary of Congress, Washington, D.C. (LC-USZ62-134157) 1961 Peter Jackson New Zealand director 1936 Michael Landon American actor, director, and producer 1931 Dan Rather American newscaster 1926 Jimmy Savile British entertainer 1887 Chiang Kai-shek Chinese statesman See All Biographies On This Day

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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?Gretchen Garner/Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. 2020 Scottish-born actor Sean Connery, who was perhaps best known for portraying superspy James Bond in a series of films, died at age 90. Read about 10 famous spies© Carrienelson1/Dreamstime.com 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 about famous authorsFred Jewell—AP/Shutterstock.com 1968 U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson ordered an end to American bombing in North Vietnam. Test your knowledge of the Vietnam WarWhite House Collection 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© Warner Brothers, Inc. 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© C. Borland—PhotoLink/Getty Images 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 makersRare Book and Special Collections Division, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. (96518835) 1922 Benito Mussolini became prime minister of Italy; he was the first of Europe's fascist dictators in the 20th century. Learn more about Benito Mussolini, including his rise to power and his role on World War IIH. Roger-Viollet 1887 Soldier and statesman Chiang Kai-shek, head of the Nationalist government in China from 1928 to 1949 and subsequently head of the Chinese Nationalist government-in-exile on Taiwan, was born. Sort fact from fiction in our quiz about ChinaCamera Press/Globe Photos 1864 Nevada became the 36th state of the United States. Sort fact from fiction in our quiz about U.S. statesEncyclopædia Britannica, Inc. 1860 Juliette Gordon Low, founder of the Girl Scouts of the United States of America, was born in Savannah, Georgia.Harris & Ewing Collection/Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. (LC-DIG-hec-09028) 1632 Dutch painter Johannes Vermeer, whose paintings are among the most beloved and revered images in the history of art, was baptized. Test your knowledge of famous artistsThe Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Marquand Collection, Gift of Henry G. Marquand, 1889 (89.15.21), www. metmuseum.org SIGN UP FOR History's Biggest Headlines Discover the fascinating events that shaped the world, straight from our editors. SIGN UP Thanks for signing up for Today in History. Your first newsletter will arrive soon! SIGN UP By clicking "Sign Up" you are agreeing to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.