Welcome to another episode of Today in History — I’m Sen, your host.

You’re going to hear a set of historical events from this day in the past… twice. On this first listen, just focus on the sounds and rhythm of what is being said.

Here we go. So, what happened today in history?

On July 13, 1944, Hungarian professor and inventor Ernő Rubik was born. He is best known for his invention of puzzles — the most famous being the Rubik’s Cube. Since its creation in 1974, there have been over 450 million sold worldwide.

On the same day in 1934, novelist, poet, playwright and activist Wole Soyinka was born in Abeokuta, in western Nigeria. He won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1986, and was the first Black African to win a Nobel Prize. Soyinka has published about 20 works, including plays, novels, poems, biographies, and essays. He uses satire in his writing to protest against everything from government corruption, to the military, to apartheid in South Africa.

One year later in Toco, Trinidad, Earl Lovelace was born. A novelist, journalist and playwright as well, he is known for creating dramatic fiction about Trinidadian life, both urban and rural. Lovelace first worked as a proofreader for a newspaper called the Trinidad Guardian, and then as a forest ranger before writing his first novel, “While Gods Are Falling”, in 1962. His most recent book, “Is Just A Movie”, won the 2012 OCM Books Prize for Caribbean Literature. His books and plays are often about colorful island life, but also speak about the realities of postcolonialism.

Now for the second listen. Try focusing more on the meaning and individual words this time. And remember, I’ll explain some of the difficult ones afterwards.

On July 13, 1944, Hungarian professor and inventor Ernő Rubik was born. He is best known for his invention of puzzles — the most famous being the Rubik’s Cube. Since its creation in 1974, there have been over 450 million sold worldwide.

On the same day in 1934, novelist, poet, playwright and activist Wole Soyinka was born in Abeokuta, in western Nigeria. He won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1986, and was the first Black African to win a Nobel Prize. Soyinka has published about 20 works, including plays, novels, poems, biographies, and essays. He uses satire in his writing to protest against everything from government corruption, to the military, to apartheid in South Africa.

One year later in Toco, Trinidad, Earl Lovelace was born. A novelist, journalist and playwright as well, he is known for creating dramatic fiction about Trinidadian life, both urban and rural. Lovelace first worked as a proofreader for a newspaper called the Trinidad Guardian, and then as a forest ranger before writing his first novel, “While Gods Are Falling”, in 1962. His most recent book, “Is Just A Movie”, won the 2012 OCM Books Prize for Caribbean Literature. His books and plays are often about colorful island life, but also speak about the realities of postcolonialism.

Which words caught your attention today? Maybe you’ve heard the word ‘corruption’ before. Well, this is illegal or dishonest behavior, often by someone in a position of power. And what about ‘rural’? This adjective refers to something relating to the countryside, rather than a city. It’s the opposite of the adjective ‘urban’.

That’s it for this episode of Today in History. Be sure to join me tomorrow for some more historical facts!

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Episode notes:
 
corruption: illegal or dishonest behavior, often by someone in a position of power
rural: relating to the countryside, rather than a city.