YO! 🎒🔥 It’s Wednesday, let’s dive into Today in History and let’s discuss last week’s episode with reporter Jennings Brown and his explosive investigation into a dark and twisted doomsday cult.

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Crime: On October 16, 1868, a prominent African American politician Benjamin Franklin Randolph was assassinated by members of the Ku Klux Klan. Rudolph was an educator, newspaper editor, and spiritual counselor who represented South Carolina as a state senator during the Reconstruction Era. At the Republican National Convention in 1868, Randolph was chosen to serve as one of the nation's first African American delegates for the Ulysses Grant presidential ticket. In addition, Randolph presided over the state's Republican Party Central Committee.

After addressing a campaign in Abbeville, South Carolina, on October 15, 1868 he took a train for Anderson next morning. While changing trains at Hodges' Depot in Hodges, South Carolina, Randolph was gunned down on the station platform by three white men. The crime was committed in the broad day light but the criminals were never identified and prosecuted. Such were the times back then.

War: On October 16, 1813, the battle of Leipzig started. After Napoleon’s retreat from Russia when he failed to take Berlin, the allied armies threatened Napoleon’s line of communications through Leipzig. Napoleon was left with no choice except gathering his men in Leipzig to push the allies back. An intense war lasted for three days and turned out to be a decisive defeat for Napoleon. His loss also ended the era of French power in Germany and Poland.

The battle was fought at Leipzig, in Saxony, between approximately 185,000 French and other troops under Napoleon, and approximately 320,000 allied troops, including Austrian, Prussian, Russian, and Swedish forces.

Religion: On October 16, 1978, the papacy of Pope John Paul II began. He became pope after an unexpected death of his predecessor Pope John Paul I who led the Vatican for only 33 days. He was elected as pope on the third day of the second papal conclave of 1978 that also made him one of the youngest popes in history.

John Paul II was the first non-Italian pope since Adrian VI in the 16th century, as well as the third-longest-serving pope. He was one of the most travelled world leaders, visiting 129 countries as the leader of Vatican. He tried to improve the Catholic Church's relations with other religions and factions in Christianity to fight atheism which he considered as a big threat.

Mafia: On October 16, 1987, almost all the big newspapers in United States surprised the world of mafia by reporting a suit filed by federal prosecutors to seize control of the Fulton Fish Market. This cash cow in the lower Manhattan used to serve as one of the most important wholesale East Coast fish markets in the United States, until its relocation in 2005. The intervention of federal court was requested to stop the massive illegal earnings of Genovese mob overseeing the seafood business. However, it took many years until 2001 to limit the influence of organized crime in the market when City of New York's Business Integrity Commission took complete control of the business.

What did you think of last week’s episode? What did you think of yesterday’s episode with Andrew Bustamante? We read every email (slowly but surely) and use your feedback to guide future guests and topics. 💭See ya Friday to discuss our two drops this week!!!! 🔥👊🚀

- Jaime