October 25

Born in 1895, Joe Murphy joined the Irish Volunteers to fight for independence from British rule. He was arrested during the Irish War of Independence and imprisoned in Cork Prison. In October 1920, Murphy joined a hunger strike alongside other prisoners to protest internment without trial. After enduring severe hardship, he died on October 25, 1920, becoming one of ten men who sacrificed their lives in the Cork hunger strikes. His death intensified international attention and support for the Irish independence movement. Murphy is remembered as a symbol of commitment and resistance in Ireland's struggle for self-determination.

Born in 1853 in Canada, Bat Masterson moved to Kansas as a young man and served as a deputy U.S. marshal in Dodge City. He helped bring order to one of the West's most notorious frontier towns and later worked as a buffalo hunter. In the early 20th century, Masterson transitioned to journalism, writing sports columns for the New York Daily News and becoming a respected boxing and baseball reporter. He maintained close friendships with figures like Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday, cementing his place in Wild West lore. Masterson's dual careers in law enforcement and journalism made him a unique American icon. He died in 1921, leaving behind a legacy celebrated in books and film.

Born in 1943 in Hiroshima, Sadako Sasaki was only two years old when the atomic bomb struck her city. A decade later she developed leukemia attributed to radiation exposure and was hospitalized. Inspired by a Japanese legend, she began folding origami cranes with the hope of recovering if she reached one thousand. With help from classmates and family, she folded over a thousand cranes before her condition worsened. Sadako’s story resonated worldwide after her death in 1955 at age 12. She became a powerful symbol of the human cost of war and the pursuit of peace. Today her legacy endures at the Children’s Peace Monument in Hiroshima, inspiring movements against nuclear weapons.

Born Umberto Anastasio in 1902 in Tropea, Italy, he emigrated to the United States as a child and anglicized his name. Rising through New York’s underworld, he became a key figure in the National Crime Syndicate. As a co-founder of Murder, Inc., Anastasia oversaw hundreds of contract killings, earning his nickname "Lord High Executioner". In 1951 he assumed leadership of what would become the Gambino crime family, expanding its influence. His brutal methods and iron-fisted control made him one of the most feared mobsters of his era. On October 25, 1957, he was assassinated in a Manhattan barber shop, ending a violent but impactful criminal career.

Vladimir Herzog (1937–1975) was a Brazilian journalist of Croatian-Jewish descent who directed the news department at TV Cultura. He used his platform to critique authoritarian policies and advocate for social justice during Brazil’s military dictatorship. Arrested by the regime’s intelligence agency in 1975, Herzog was found dead in custody under suspicious circumstances that were initially reported as suicide. His death sparked nationwide outrage and galvanized the pro-democracy movement, exposing the regime’s use of torture. The annual Vladimir Herzog Award was later established in his honor to recognize courageous journalism. Herzog remains a symbol of press freedom and human rights activism in Brazil.

John Peel was an English radio broadcaster born in 1939. He began his career on pirate radio before joining the BBC in 1967, where he hosted groundbreaking shows like Top Gear and The Peel Sessions. Peel introduced new and underground artists to mainstream audiences, supporting genres from punk to electronic. His eclectic taste and commitment to emerging talent made him one of the UK’s most respected DJs. Over five decades, he curated thousands of sessions that shaped modern music. Peel passed away in 2004, leaving an enduring legacy in radio and popular culture.