On this day in ...... 1867, acrobat Maria Spelterina became the only woman to walk across Niagara Falls on a tightrope. The 23 year old from Italy "walked backwards, put a paper bag over her head, and wore peach baskets on her feet to inject some drama into her crossings." (photo credit)
... 1975, São Tomé and Príncipe gained independence from Portugal; Manuel Pinto da Costa became its 1st president of the island s
tate (flag at right) located in the Gulf of Guinea off the coast of Western Africa.
