On this day

3 October in history.

5 moments from 1949 to 1991: discovery, creativity and courage, each with a source to read more.

5 moments

Nadine Gordimer at the Göteborg Book Fair 2010

1991

Nadine Gordimer wins the Nobel Prize in Literature. Writer Nadine Gordimer made history as the first South African to receive the Nobel Prize in Literature.

Wikipedia: Nadine Gordimer

Photo: Boberger . Photo: Bengt Oberger / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 3.0)

More from 3 October

  1. 1949

    WERD goes on the air

    Atlanta's WERD began broadcasting. It was the first radio station in the United States owned by Black Americans.

    Wikipedia: WERD (Atlanta)

  2. Holy Rosary Cathedral Vancouver

    1953

    Holy Rosary Cathedral is dedicated

    Holy Rosary Cathedral in Vancouver had been open for 53 years when Archbishop William Mark Duke finally dedicated it.

    Wikipedia: Holy Rosary Cathedral (Vancouver)Wikipedia: Dedication of churchesWikipedia: William Mark Duke

    Photo: dronepicr / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0)

  3. Astronaut Walter M. Schirra Jr., pilot of the Mercury-Atlas 8 (MA-8) earth orbital space flight, is assisted by back-up pilot L. Gordon Cooper into his Sigma 7 spacecraft for the begining of the MA-8 mission.

    1962

    Wally Schirra launches on Mercury-Atlas 8

    Astronaut Wally Schirra lifted off from Cape Canaveral in Florida aboard Mercury-Atlas 8, the fifth crewed space mission of the United States.

    Wikipedia: Mercury-Atlas 8Wikipedia: Human spaceflightWikipedia: Cape Canaveral Space Force Station

    Photo: NASA / Wikimedia Commons (Public domain)

  4. Space shuttle Atlantis is featured in this image photographed by an Expedition 23 crew member on the International Space Station soon after the shuttle and station began their post-undocking relative separation. Undocking of the two spacecraft occurred at 10:22 a.m. (CDT) on May…

    1985

    Space Shuttle Atlantis makes its first flight

    Space Shuttle Atlantis flew for the first time, on mission STS-51-J, carrying two satellites into space.

    Wikipedia: Space Shuttle AtlantisWikipedia: Defense Satellite Communications SystemWikipedia: STS-51-J

    Photo: NASA / Wikimedia Commons (Public domain)

Moments chosen for discovery, creativity and courage. Each one links to a source where you can read more; photos are credited to their owners.