On this day: April 25

The Vanished Franklin Expedition: Britain's Lost Arctic Squadron of 1845

On April 25, 1845, Sir John Franklin set sail from England with HMS Erebus and HMS Terror on what became the first widely recorded disappearance of an entire naval expedition—an Arctic voyage that ultimately left no survivors and spurred decades of searches and changing understandings of polar exploration.

First Modern Skateboard Competition Held in 1975

On April 25, 1975, a widely cited early modern skateboard contest took place, marking a shift toward organized competitive skateboarding tied to the 1970s resurgence of urethane wheels and new board designs.

Prince Releases Purple Rain, a Genre-Bending Landmark

On April 25, 1984, Prince released Purple Rain, the sixth studio album credited to Prince and the Revolution. Blending rock, funk, pop and R&B, the record became a commercial and cultural milestone tied to the film of the same name.

Largest Diamond Ever Found Revealed in 1905 Discovery

On April 25, 1905, miners in the Premier Mine of South Africa unearthed a rough diamond that would become the largest gem-quality stone ever recovered, altering global gem markets and prompting technical advances in cutting and valuation.

NBC’s First Public Color Television Broadcast, April 25, 1954

On April 25, 1954, NBC presented the first publicly announced coast-to-coast color television broadcast in the United States using the RCA-developed NTSC compatible color system, marking a key milestone in television technology and commercial broadcasting.