A Date with History
Today marks the anniversary of several notable events, including one of the worst maritime disasters in American history. The passenger liner SS Eastland capsized in the Chicago River, killing more than 840 people, in 1915. Also on this day, the explorer Hiram Bingham first reached Machu Picchu in 1911; the espionage trial of Dutch dancer Mata Hari started in 1917; and the “kitchen debate” between U.S. Vice Pres. Richard Nixon and Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev occurred in 1959.
![The history of the Eastland, which capsized in the Chicago River on July 24, 1915, is explained in photos, vintage film, and illustrations. (Music only. NO NARRATION)](https://cdn.statically.io/img/cdn.britannica.com/73/183573-138-BDF650C5/overview-Eastland.jpg?w=727&h=410&c=crop&q=80)
The Catastrophic Story of the SS Eastland
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The Espionage Trial of Mata Hari Ended with a Death Sentence
Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
Machu Picchu and 6 Other New Wonders of the World
© Digital Vision/Getty Images
Noteworthy Birthdays
Runs in the Blood
Today is National Cousins Day, a celebration of all the kin that we call cousin. And though there’s no such thing as identical cousins, you may be surprised to learn that the following celebrities share a bloodline.
George Clooney and Miguel Ferrer
Actors George Clooney and the late Miguel Ferrer (known for his roles in Twin Peaks and RoboCop) were first cousins. Clooney’s father and Ferrer’s mother, the celebrated singer and actress Rosemary Clooney, were siblings.
Al Roker and Lenny Kravitz
Weatherman Al Roker and musician Lenny Kravitz are second cousins—their grandfathers were first cousins. Fun fact: Kravitz’s mother, Roxie Roker, was an accomplished actress, widely known for her role in the sitcom The Jeffersons.
Brooke Shields and Glenn Close
The model and actress Brooke Shields shares a distant bloodline with renowned actress Glenn Close. They are second cousins, once removed, since Close’s grandfather and Shields’s great-grandmother were siblings.
Jenny McCarthy-Wahlberg and Melissa McCarthy
Comedy must run in the family. Jenny McCarthy-Wahlberg and Melissa McCarthy are first cousins who grew up in the Chicago area. Fun fact: Melissa McCarthy made her television debut in 1997 when she appeared on The Jenny McCarthy Show.
Sofia Coppola, Jason Schwartzman, Nicolas Cage
Auteur Sofia Coppola and actor Jason Schwartzman are first cousins—Sofia’s father, Francis Ford Coppola, and Schwartzman’s mother, the actress Talia Shire, are siblings. And they share another cousin in actor Nicolas Cage, who was born Nicolas Coppola but later changed his stage name.
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