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1963 Julia Child's The French Chef premieres On this day in 1963, Julia Child's cooking show The French Chef debuted on Boston's public TV station as a regular series. Public television was rather dull at the time, but viewers were instantly charmed by Child's demeanor and warm energy. Though she made mistakes, Child did not bat an eye, and she embraced any missteps as part of the one-take filming process—which was all that the crew could afford at the time. By the end of 1965, The French Chef was airing on almost 100 stations across the country as an instant classic. Read today's edition of Today in History > > © AP/REX/Shutterstock.com

Featured Biography

René Descartes French mathematician and philosopher bornMarch 31, 1596La Haye, FrancediedFebruary 11, 1650 (aged 53)Stockholm, Sweden(Died on this day)National Library of Medicine, Bethesda, Maryland 1971 Damian Lewis British actor 1969 Jennifer Aniston American actress 1964 Sarah Palin American politician 1953 Jeb Bush American politician 1915 Richard Wesley Hamming American mathematician See All Biographies On This Day

More Events On This Day

2012 American rhythm-and-blues singer Whitney Houston—who emerged as a pop superstar in the 1980s, especially known for her soaring voice—died at age 48. Test your knowledge of pop musicPH2 Mark Kettenhofen—U.S. Department of Defense 2011 Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak stepped down after nearly 30 years in power, following the pro-democracy uprisings known as the Arab Spring. Take our Middle East world leaders quizEric Draper/The White House 1990 After serving 27 years in prison, Nelson Mandela was released, and he subsequently began negotiations with President F.W. de Klerk that ended apartheid in South Africa. Read some of Nelson Mandela's inspirational quotes© Joao Silva—AAI Fotostock/age fotostock 1989 The Reverend Barbara Harris of the Protestant Episcopal Church became the first female bishop in the Anglican Communion. Sort fact from fiction in our world religions quizCarol Francavilla—AP/Shutterstock.com 1975 British politician Margaret Thatcher was elected leader of the Conservative Party, replacing Edward Heath; she became Europe's first woman prime minister in 1979. Test your knowledge of notable prime ministersAP Images 1969 American actress Jennifer Aniston, who achieved stardom on the popular television sitcom Friends (1994–2004) and launched a successful film career, was born. Take our quiz about the '90s© Kevin Winter/Getty Images 1964 Sarah Palin—who, as John McCain's running mate in the 2008 U.S. presidential election, was the first woman to appear on a Republican presidential ticket—was born in Idaho. She was often criticized for “going rogue”—that is, diverging from the messages she was instructed to endorse as McCain's running mate. Read about seven female firsts in U.S. politics© Christopher Halloran/Shutterstock.com 1945 The Yalta Conference between the Allied leaders of World War II came to a close. During the meeting, leaders planned the final defeat and occupation of Nazi Germany. Sort fact from fiction in our quiz about World War IIAP Images 1929 Benito Mussolini of Italy and Pietro Gasparri of the Vatican signed the Lateran Treaty, recognizing papal sovereignty over Vatican City, an enclave in Rome.© emiklos/Fotolia 1858 In the French town of Lourdes, 14-year-old Bernadette Soubirous, a miller's daughter, first had visions of the Virgin Mary that were authenticated by Pope Pius IX in 1862.© Pascal Pavani—AFP/Getty Images 1847 Inventor Thomas Edison, who, singly or jointly, held a world record of 1,093 patents and who played a critical role in introducing the modern age of electricity, was born in Ohio. Take our inventors and inventions quizCourtesy of the Edison National Historical Site, West Orange, N.J. 1753 Pennsylvania Hospital, the first hospital in the United States, began admitting patients; it was cofounded by Benjamin Franklin. Take our quiz about medical terms and pioneers 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.