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April 22 in History: Earth Day Begins, Oklahoma Land Rush, and Paris Agreement Signed

Scott Winters April 22, 2026 0 Comments

Discover what happened on April 22 in history, along with notable events that shaped environmental awareness, expansion, and global cooperation.

What Happened on April 22 in History?

From a massive land grab that reshaped the American frontier to the birth of a global environmental movement and an international climate agreement, April 22 highlights moments that impacted land, people, and the planet.

APRIL 22 – TODAY IN HISTORY:

1864 – Congress passed legislation the Coinage Act of 1864 that mandated that the inscription “In God We Trust” be placed on all coins minted as United States currency.

1876 – The first official National League baseball game took place in Philadelphia, PA. Boston beat Philadelphia 6-5.

1889 – At noon, the Oklahoma land rush officially started as thousands of Americans raced for new, unclaimed land. Within hours the cities of Oklahoma City and Guthrie were formed with populations of at least 10,000.

1914 – Babe Ruth made his pitching debut with the Baltimore Orioles.

1915 – The New York Yankees wore pinstripes and the hat-in-the-ring logo for the first time.

1931 – James G. Ray landed an autogyro on the lawn of the White House in Washington, DC.

1933 – Residents 18 years old or older were granted the right to drink beer and wine in Michigan following the repeal of Prohibition.

1938 – Briggs Field in Detroit, MI, was dedicated. The Detroit Tigers Field was formally called Navin Field. This name was to honor Tiger owner Walter Briggs. It was later named Tiger Stadium until it closed in 1999.

1952 – An atomic test conducted in Nevada was the first nuclear explosion shown on live network television.

1956 – Elvis Presley made his Las Vegas, NV debut at the Frontier Hotel.

1964 – The 1964-65 New York World’s Fair opened for its first season.

1967 – Randy Matson set a new world record with a shot put toss of 71 feet, and 5 1/2 inches in College Station, TX.

1970 – The first “Earth Day” was observed by millions of Americans.

1976 – ABC announces that Barbara Walters had been hired to be the first female nightly network news anchor. She co-anchored with Harry Reasoner.

1977 – Optical fiber was first used to carry live telephone traffic.

1978 – The Blues Brothers made their debut on TV’s “Saturday Night Live”. John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd introduced the show by performing “Hey Bartender”.

1987 – The American Physical Society said that the “Star Wars” missile system was “highly questionable” and would take ten years to research.

1993 – The U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum was dedicated in Washington, DC.

1993 – Version 1.0 of the Mosaic web browser was released.

1994 – President Richard M. Nixon died at 81.

1998 – Disney’s Animal Kingdom opened at Walt Disney World near Orlando, FL.

1999 – The Watson Family received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

1999 – Investigators in the Columbine High School shootings report finding large homemade bombs in the school kitchen and speculate that the killers planned on destroying the school.

2000 – Elian Gonzalez was reunited with his father in Cuba. He was taken away from his Miami, FL relatives by federal agents in a predawn raid.

2005 – Zacarias Moussaoui entered a guilty plea and denied involvement in the September 11th terrorist attack. He did admit to being involved in a plan to fly a plane into the White House in Washington, DC.

2008 – The U.S. Air Force retired the remaining F-117 Nighthawk aircraft that were still in service.

2010 – The Boeing X-37 began its first orbital mission. It successfully returned to Earth on December 3, 2010.

2010 – Bret Michaels, of the band Poison, was rushed to the hospital. It was discovered that he had suffered from a brain hemorrhage. Two weeks earlier he had been taken to the hospital and underwent an emergency appendectomy.

2011 – In Los Angeles, CA, Lindsay Lohan was found guilty of misdemeanor theft and probation violation, and sentenced to 120 days in jail, 360 hours of community service at the Downtown Women’s Center and 120 hours at the L.A. County morgue.

2016 – The Paris Agreement was signed, an agreement to help fight global warming.

CELEBRITY BIRTHDAYS ON APRIL 22:

Bhama Srinivasan – 91 years old (1935) – Indian-American mathematician and academic

Jack Nicholson – 89 years old (1937) – Actor and producer

Mel Carter – 87 years old (1939) – Singer and actor

Janet Evanovich – 83 years old (1943) – Author

Scott W. Williams – 83 years old (1943) – Mathematician and professor

Joshua Rifkin – 82 years old (1944) – Conductor and musicologist

John Waters – 80 years old (1946) – Actor, director, producer, and screenwriter

Spencer Haywood – 77 years old (1949) – Basketball player

Marilyn Chambers – 74 years old (1952) – Actress

Terry Francona – 67 years old (1959) – Baseball player and manager

Ryan Stiles – 67 years old (1959) – American-Canadian actor and comedian

Jeff Hostetler – 65 years old (1961) – Football player

Mickey Morandini – 60 years old (1966) – Baseball player and manager

Jeffrey Dean Morgan – 60 years old (1966) – Actor

Sherri Shepherd – 59 years old (1967) – Actress, comedian, and television personality

Sam W. Heads – 43 years old (1983) – English-American entomologist and palaeontologist

Amber Heard – 40 years old (1986) – Actress

Marshawn Lynch – 40 years old (1986) – Football player

Dee Strange-Gordon – 38 years old (1988) – Baseball player

Machine Gun Kelly – 36 years old (1990) – Rapper, singer, songwriter, actor

Kevin Kiermaier – 36 years old (1990) – Baseball player

Violet McGraw – 15 years old (2011) – Actress

DAYS OF THE YEAR FOR APRIL 22:

Earth Day: As threats to the Earth grow, so too do the global initiatives that seek to preserve it, whether through volunteer work, donations, or political lobbying.
National Jelly Bean Day: Put together a colorful bag of your favorite flavors, or be brave and take the risk of vomit and bogey-flavored beans in Bertie Bott’s Every Flavor Beans.
National Beagle Day: Floppy ears and soulful eyes, the beagle is man’s best friend, and a valuable hunting dog. Pamper your beagle, or join in an event like the Beagle Walk.
National Baseball Day: America's pastime, where a small, round ball sparks exhilarating moments, connecting generations through the love of sport.
National Administrative Professionals Day: Administrative professionals keep our world turning behind the scenes; they’re our first point of communication and organization, so thank them for their hard work.
National Pinup Day: Capturing timeless allure through classic visual aesthetics, embodying the essence of glamorous eras in an artful celebration of femininity.
In God We Trust Day: In God We Trust Day is not just any other day on the calendar. Rather, it represents a significant spot where American history and culture intersect. This occasion marks incorporating the phrase "In God We Trust" into United States currency. That moment forever connected the nation's values and identity. The...
National Green Week: National Green Week is an exciting initiative that brings attention to the importance of environmental sustainability. Schools and organizations across the country use this week to engage students in activities that promote greener living. The event aims to inspire young minds to adopt eco-friendly habits that can make a lasting...
April Showers Day: April Showers Day is a delightful celebration that brings a splash of joy to the spring season. This day highlights the importance of rain in fostering life and beauty. The rain, which is common in April, prepares the ground for the beautiful blooms of May, embodying the saying, "April showers...
National Narwhal Day: Often referred to as “unicorns of the sea”, narwhals are delightful and unique creatures that live in the cold waters of the Arctic Ocean. Although they are not yet considered endangered, narwhals are on a list of animals of “special concern” due to the impact of climate change on their...
Global Selfie Earth Day: Global Selfie Earth Day invites people to step outside, lift their cameras, and snap a quick photo with the sky, trees, or anything that shows the world around them. It sounds lighthearted—and it is—but there’s more under the surface. NASA gathers these selfies from across the globe and turns them...
National I.T. Service Provider Day: National I.T. Service Provider Day gives credit to the folks who keep our digital world together. They’re the ones who stay calm when computers crash or when the Wi-Fi just won’t work. You might not see them often, but their work touches nearly everything—online shopping, streaming, emails, even bank apps...
National Girl Scout Leader’s Day: Girl Scout leaders empower young girls, fostering confidence, leadership skills, and a strong sense of community.
International Mother Earth Day: International Mother Earth Day is celebrated every April 22. It serves as a powerful reminder of our planet's fragility and our urgent need to protect it. The significance of this day lies in its ability to unite more than one billion people worldwide. It has encouraged actions toward sustainable living...
Stephen Lawrence Day: Stephen Lawrence Day is a stark reminder of the ever-present struggle against prejudice for people of color. But the day is even bigger than that alone. It’s also a call to action for a more equal society. The occasion commemorates Stephen Lawrence, an 18-year-old black British teenager. His life was...
National Pediatric Transplant Week: Each year, thousands of children across the world benefit from the life-saving medical intervention that comes through organ donation. But the list of those in need of organ donors is long and these younger patients often have to wait for a great deal of time for matches because of complex...
Coin Week: Begin or grow your coin collection, learn about how countries’ mints reflect their history, or join a coin club or even local competition during Coin Week.
FOP Awareness Month: Raising awareness for a rare condition, efforts unite to support those facing the challenges of Fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva.
Lesbian Visibility Week: To build awareness, create safe and healthy work environments, ‘normalize’ relationships, and allow lesbian voices to be heard, Lesbian Visibility Week provides various opportunities to build a society of inclusion. This event works to promote LGBTQIA women along with non-binary people in every field, from every generation, to every country...
National Princess Week: When you think of a princess, images of elegance, courage, and kindness come to mind. National Princess Week celebrates these traits, inviting everyone to embrace their inner royalty. This special week, started by Julie Andrews, Disney, and Target, is a chance to enjoy the magic and charm associated with princesses...
Cleaning for a Reason Week: Cleaning for a Reason Week is a special time when cleaning companies, donors, and communities come together to support people going through cancer treatment. During this week, the goal is to bring in more cleaning partners, raise money, and help more households with free cleaning services. Volunteers and professional cleaners pitch...
Feet Week: Happy feet make a happy person. Proper foot care involves regular washing, trimming nails, wearing comfortable shoes, and keeping them dry. Treat your feet well and they will take you places!
National Volunteer Week: Contributing time and effort, volunteering fosters positive change, enriching lives, and creating a ripple of goodwill in communities.
Administrative Professionals Week: In offices around the globe, desks become stages of gratitude during Administrative Professionals Week. Teams come together, celebrating those who keep the gears turning. Imagine the scene: colorful bouquets and heartfelt notes replace reports and spreadsheets. Managers pause meetings to say "thank you," acknowledging the often unseen dedication of their...
National Park Week: Say hello to beautiful plants, native wildlife, natural landscapes, and unique terrains because it’s time to celebrate and enjoy National Park Week! History of National Park Week The first National Park Week was celebrated in 1991 when it was declared by US President George H.W. Bush to honor the 75th anniversary...
Every Kid Healthy Week: Nurturing vibrant habits, fostering active play, and embracing wholesome choices, helping children discover the joy of balanced living.
Animal Cruelty / Human Violence Awareness Week: Animal Cruelty / Human Violence Awareness Week is observed annually to shed light on the undeniable connection between abusing animals and harming humans. This observance week creates awareness of the need to understand the intersectional nature of these issues and for societal change to end the cruelty. It also promotes education...
Global Days of Action on Military Spending: The Global Days of Action on Military Spending is a lively global campaign that invites people everywhere to rethink how public funds are used. It urges governments to shift resources from arms to real security, like health, education, and clean energy. When new military spending data arrives, advocates use the moment...
National Sky Awareness Week: Humans go through life each day looking at the buildings, cars, computer screens, and other people around them, but it seems like a rare event that they will spend time being aware of the sky. National Sky Awareness Week seeks to remind people of all ages that there is something interesting...
National Work Zone Awareness Week: Warmer weather in the spring is a sign of beautiful things like green grass, lovely flowers and – road construction?! Okay. So, maybe road construction isn’t everyone’s favorite thing. But it is an important job that keeps the highways and roads up to date so everyone can get where they need...
Health Information Professionals Week: Health Information Professionals Week is a celebration that honors the vital role of health information professionals in healthcare. These professionals ensure that patient data is accurate, secure, and accessible, supporting quality care and efficient healthcare operations. They work behind the scenes, managing patient records and data systems, which are crucial for...