Today is Thursday, April 16, 2026 The History of Today 1862 - In the U.S., slavery was abolished by law in the District of Columbia. 1905 - Andrew Carnegie donated $10,000,000 of personal money to set up the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. 1996 - KISS announced a reunion tour with makeup. 1999 - Wayne Gretzky announced his retirement from the National Hockey League (NHL). Daily Quote The instinct of nearly all societies is to lock up anybody who is truly free. First, society begins by trying to beat you up. If this fails, they try to poison you. If this fails too, the finish by loading honors on your head. - Jean Cocteau Tomorrow in The History of Today.