On This Day - April 17, 2026

A record 11,747 immigrants passed through Ellis Island on its busiest day ever. Isaac Asimov, Bob Hope, and Claudette Colbert are just a few of the notable people who immigrated to the United States through Ellis Island.

Ford unveils the Mustang at the World's Fair in Flushing Meadows, New York. The American car manufacturer initially offered the muscle car in a hardtop and convertible.

Geraldine “Jerrie” Fredritz Mock was the first woman to fly solo around the world, which she did in 1964. She flew a single-engine Cessna 180 christened the “Spirit of Columbus” and nicknamed “Charlie.” The trip began March 19, 1964, in Columbus, Ohio, and ended April 17, 1964, in Columbus, Ohio

The ill-fated flight of Apollo 13 ends with the safe splashdown of the command module. Inside crew members James A. Lovell, Jr., Fred W. Haise, Jr., and John L. Swigert, Jr. survive the mission but miss the opportunity to be the third crew to land on the moon due to the No.2 oxygen tank.

Game of Thrones debuts on HBO. The series ran for eight seasons and is based on author George R.R. Martin's series A Song of Ice and Fire.