DeathEdgar Allan Poe diesFound delirious in a Baltimore tavern days earlier, the master of the macabre died at 40, leaving a mystery about his last days that has never been solved.1849October 7 in history
A date of mysteries and power: Poe's unexplained death, the march into Tibet, a Leningrad birth, a gentle city cartoon, and a new way to hear music.
October 7 opens with an unsolved puzzle. In 1849 Edgar Allan Poe died in a Baltimore hospital, days after he was found delirious in a tavern on an election day, and nobody has ever explained what happened to him. A century later the date turned to force and state power. In 1950 Chinese troops crossed into the Chamdo region of eastern Tibet, starting the brief campaign that led to Tibet’s annexation. Two years later, in 1952, Vladimir Putin was born in Leningrad, a city still marked by its wartime siege, and he grew up to lead Russia for more than two decades.
The later anniversaries are lighter in tone. In 1996 Nickelodeon premiered Hey Arnold!, a cartoon that found warmth and wonder in the streets of a fictional city. In 2008 Spotify opened its streaming service in Europe, offering a legal alternative to piracy and changing how much of the world listens to music. From a Gothic poet to a streaming app, the date spans grief, conquest, and invention.
DeathEdgar Allan Poe diesFound delirious in a Baltimore tavern days earlier, the master of the macabre died at 40, leaving a mystery about his last days that has never been solved.1849
Historic eventChina invades TibetChinese troops crossed into Tibetan-held Chamdo, opening a short campaign that crushed Tibet's army and led to its annexation by the People's Republic.1950
BirthVladimir Putin is bornBorn in postwar Leningrad, the future KGB officer rose to lead Russia for a quarter century, steering it toward authoritarian rule and war with Ukraine.1952
PremiereHey Arnold! premieresNickelodeon debuted Craig Bartlett's cartoon about a kind fourth-grader in a big-city boarding house, a show that treated urban childhood with rare warmth.1996
Science and technologySpotify launchesA Swedish startup built as a legal answer to music piracy opened its streaming service in Europe and grew into the world's largest music platform.2008