1. On April 4, 1968, civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee. The news of King's death sparked riots in Washington, D.C. and cities across the country.

2. In 1850, the United States Congress passed the Compromise of 1850, which included legislation allowing slavery in the District of Columbia. The bill was signed into law by President Millard Fillmore on April 4.

3. On April 4, 1949, the North Atlantic Treaty was signed in Washington, D.C. The treaty established the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) as a military alliance between the United States, Canada, and several European countries.

4. The Washington Post, one of the most widely read newspapers in the United States, was founded on April 4, 1877. The paper has won multiple Pulitzer Prizes for its journalism and is known for breaking several major news stories throughout its history.

5. On April 4, 1965, the Washington Senators played their final game in the District of Columbia before moving to Texas to become the Texas Rangers. The Senators had played in Washington for over 60 years, but had struggled to attract fans in the later years of their tenure.