Today in History: Al Capone, Einstein, and Global Milestones
It is Saturday, October 17, 2026—the 290th day of the year. Today, the world observes the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty and World Day Against Pain. With only 75 days remaining in the year, we look back at the historic milestones, births, and departures that shaped this date.
The Fall of Al Capone and Einstein’s Arrival
On this day in 1931, the reign of America’s most notorious gangster hit a legal wall. Al Capone was sentenced to 11 years in federal prison, not for his violent crimes, but for tax evasion. Just two years later, in 1933, the world’s most famous physicist, Albert Einstein, arrived in the United States as a refugee fleeing the rise of Nazi Germany.
Milestones in History and Geopolitics
- 1909: Portugal witnessed its first motorized airplane flight, performed by French aviator Armand Zipfel in Lisbon.
- 1918: The Republic of Yugoslavia was formally established, redrawing the map of the Balkans.
- 1975: Led by King Hassan, Moroccans began the “Green March” into the Spanish Sahara to claim the territory.
- 1989: A powerful earthquake struck San Francisco, tragically killing approximately 200 people.
- 1991: NATO Defense Ministers took a significant step toward de-escalation by announcing an 80 percent reduction in tactical nuclear weapons in Europe.
Literary and Artistic Legacies
October 17 has seen the loss of several titans of culture. In 1849, the world lost Polish composer Frédéric Chopin at the young age of 39. More recently, in 2023, American jazz pioneer Carla Bley passed away; she notably recorded a version of the iconic Portuguese song “Grândola, vila morena.”
In the world of literature, French writer Albert Camus was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature on this day in 1957. In 2008, the Portuguese government ensured the legacy of poet Fernando Pessoa by classifying his estate as National Heritage, preventing his works from leaving the country.
Notable Births and Departures
Today marks the birthday of Hollywood legend Rita Hayworth (1918) and American novelist Nathanael West (1903). Both belong to the zodiac sign of Libra.
Other significant deaths on this day include Henry Pu Yi (1967), the last Emperor of China; legendary Cuban ballerina Alicia Alonso (2019); and the esteemed Portuguese historian António Borges Coelho (2025).
Nature and the Skies
In the skies, the Moon is in its waxing phase, approaching its first quarter tomorrow. For those in Lisbon, the Sun rose at 7:48 AM and will set at 6:55 PM. High tides are expected at 6:33 AM and 7:03 PM.
Image: Pexels – Vitaly Gariev
