Samantha Smith was an American schoolgirl from Manchester, Maine who
was called America's Youngest Ambassador in the USA and the Goodwill
Ambassador in the USSR during her lifetime. She became famous in these
two countries and well-known worldwide after writing a letter to the
Soviet leader Yuri Andropov during the Cold War period and receiving a
reply from Andropov which included a personal invitation to visit the
Soviet Union, which Smith accepted. Assisted by extensive media
attention in both countries, she participated in peacemaking
activities in some other countries after her visit to the Soviet
Union, wrote a book and co-starred in a television series before her
death in an air crash.
Read the rest of this article:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samantha_Smith
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Today's selected anniversaries:
1503:
Christopher Columbus and his crew became the first Europeans to visit
the Cayman Islands.
(
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cayman_Islands)
1768:
John Wilkes was imprisoned for criticizing King George III, sparking
riots in London.
(
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Wilkes)
1857:
The Sepoy Rebellion broke out in colonial India, threatening the rule
of the British East India Company.
(
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_rebellion_of_1857)
1869:
The First Transcontinental Railroad of North America was completed
with a golden spike ceremony.
(
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Transcontinental_Railroad_%28North_Ameriā¦)
1941:
World War II: Nazi leader Rudolf Hess parachuted into Scotland,
claiming to be on a peace mission.
(
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rudolf_Hess)
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Wikiquote of the day:
"The world is more malleable than you think and it's waiting for you
to hammer it into shape." -- Bono
(
http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Bono)