1614day.year
In Virginia, Native American Pocahontas marries English colonist John Rolfe.
Indigenous Powhatan woman Pocahontas marries English colonist John Rolfe in Jamestown, forging a brief peace between Native Americans and colonists.
On April 5, 1614, Matoaka, known as Pocahontas, daughter of Chief Powhatan, wed tobacco planter John Rolfe in the Jamestown colony of Virginia. Their marriage followed her conversion to Christianity and adoption of the name Rebecca Rolfe. The union helped establish a period of relative peace between the English settlers and the Powhatan Confederacy. Rolfe’s introduction of sweeter tobacco strains had already boosted the colony’s economy. Pocahontas traveled to England in 1616, hailed as a symbol of the “civilized savage” and unity between cultures. Her early death in 1617 solidified her place in folklore and colonial history.
1614
Virginia
Native American
Pocahontas
John Rolfe
1922day.year
The American Birth Control League, forerunner of Planned Parenthood, is incorporated.
The American Birth Control League, precursor to Planned Parenthood, is established to promote family planning and women's health.
On April 5, 1922, Margaret Sanger and fellow activists incorporated the American Birth Control League in New York City.
The organization aimed to provide women with information on contraception and to advocate for reproductive rights.
Faced with legal and societal opposition, the league worked to destigmatize birth control and improve public access.
Over time, it expanded its services and influence, eventually merging and rebranding as Planned Parenthood in 1942.
The league's founding marked a turning point in the women's health movement and profoundly impacted 20th-century social policy.
1922
American Birth Control League
Planned Parenthood
1976day.year
In China, the April Fifth Movement leads to the Tiananmen Incident.
On April 5, 1976, mourners of Premier Zhou Enlai’s death in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square were dispersed in a crackdown known as the Tiananmen Incident.
On April 5, 1976, thousands gathered in Tiananmen Square to mourn the late Premier Zhou Enlai, whose leadership had endeared him to many Chinese citizens.
The solemn memorial evolved into a political demonstration, with calls to end the Cultural Revolution’s excesses.
Alarmed by the size and tone of the crowd, Chinese authorities ordered security forces to disperse the protesters.
Clashes ensued, resulting in numerous arrests and injuries among demonstrators.
The government branded the event a counterrevolutionary riot and suppressed further commemorations.
Though censored at the time, the Tiananmen Incident presaged future demands for political reform in China.
1976
China
April Fifth Movement
Tiananmen Incident
2018day.year
Agents with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement raid a slaughterhouse in Tennessee, detaining nearly 100 undocumented Hispanic workers in one of the largest workplace raids in the history of the United States.
US Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids a Tennessee slaughterhouse, detaining nearly 100 undocumented Hispanic workers.
On April 5, 2018, ICE agents executed one of the largest workplace raids in US history at a slaughterhouse in Grainger County, Tennessee. The operation targeted alleged employment of undocumented Hispanic workers, resulting in the arrest of 97 individuals. The sudden crackdown sparked debates over immigration policy, labor rights, and rural community impacts. Local families were left scrambling as members were taken into custody, disrupting regional agriculture and food processing. Employers and advocates faced legal scrutiny over compliance with federal documentation requirements. The raid highlighted ongoing tensions between federal enforcement agencies and immigrant communities. Calls for immigration reform intensified as activists condemned the human and economic costs of such actions. The incident remains a flashpoint in discussions about the balance between border security and workers' rights.
2018
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
slaughterhouse in Tennessee