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April 3, 1926 – Virgil “Gus” Grissom was born in Mitchell, Ind. He became an Air Force pilot and one of the first astronauts. In 1967, he and two others were killed in testing for the Apollo I mission.
1962 – Robert Wise won Academy Awards for best director and best picture for West Side Story. Born in Winchester, Ind., he attended Franklin College. In Hollywood, he became an acclaimed film editor, producer, and director. He also won Oscars in 1965 for best director and best picture for The Sound of Music.
April 4, 1841 – President William Henry Harrison died at the White House after one month in office. He had served as Governor of the Indiana Territory. As a General, he had led soldiers at the Battle of Tippecanoe and in the War of 1812.
April 8, 1990 – Ryan White died at age 18 in Indianapolis. An AIDS patient, his courageous struggle for acceptance gained national attention. Shortly after his death, Congress passed the Ryan White Care Act, which provides services for people living with HIV/AIDS.
1968 – Robert F. Kennedy, in Indianapolis on a campaign tour, announced the death of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., to a crowd at 17th and Broadway. His impassioned plea for peace on that night is considered one of the best public addresses of the era.