In 1968, American Army soldiers killed hundreds of civilians in My Lai and surrounding hamlets in South Vietnam.

Born in 1593 – Georges de La Tour, French Baroque painter.

Above: The Newborn, c. 1645.

On this day in 1622 – Ignatius of Loyola and Francis Xavier, founders of the Jesuits, were canonized as saints by the Catholic Church.

In 2011, an earthquake measuring 9.0 in magnitude struck 81 miles east of Sendai, Japan, triggering a tsunami and killing thousands.

In 1959 – Fearing an abduction attempt by China, 300,000 Tibetans surround the Dalai Lama’s palace to prevent his removal.

Born in 1910 – Samuel Barber, American pianist and composer.

Listen: Adagio for Strings

Born in 1931 – Neil Postman, American author and critic.

“The computer is an answer to the questions, how can I get more information, faster, and in a more usable form? These would appear to be reasonable questions. But now I like to put some other questions to you that seem to me more reasonable. Did Iraq invade Kuwait because of a lack of information?
If a hideous war should ensue between Iraq and the U. S., will it happen because of a lack of information? If children die of starvation in Ethiopia, does it occur because of a lack of information? Does racism in South Africa exist because of a lack of information? If criminals roam the streets of New York City, do they do so because of a lack of information?”  (1990)

Born in 1872 – Piet Mondrian, Dutch painter.

Above: Composition No. 2, Composition in Line and Color, 1913

1475 – Michelangelo, Italian painter and sculptor.

Pictured: Detail from the Sistine ceiling, The Fall and Expulsion of Adam and Eve.

Born in 1922 – Pier Paolo Pasolini, Italian director, screenwriter, and actor.

Above, a still from Pasolini’s film, The Gospel According to St. Matthew.