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Louis Rwagasore (1932–1961) served as Prime Minister of Burundi from 28 September 1961 until his assassination two weeks later. Born in Ruanda-Urundi, a Belgian-administered territory, Rwagasore attended university in Belgium. After he returned to Burundi in the mid-1950s, he founded a series of cooperatives to economically empower Burundians. He then became a leading figure of a nationalist political party, the Union for National Progress (UPRONA). He pushed for national independence and unity, and the institution of a constitutional monarchy. The Belgian administration placed Rwagasore under house arrest in 1960 during municipal elections. International pressure led the administration to back down, and the following year UPRONA won an overwhelming majority in the legislative elections. As a result, Rwagasore became the prime minister, but was soon assassinated at the direction of leaders of a rival political party with the probable support of the Belgian Resident. Well-known in Burundi, Rwagasore remains relatively unknown internationally. (Full article...)

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On this day

March 6

Muhammad Ali

1447 – Tomaso Parentucelli became Pope Nicholas V.
1853 – Giuseppe Verdi's La traviata premiered at La Fenice in Venice, but the performance was considered so bad that it caused him to revise portions of the opera.
1933 – The Nazi Party took the first step in the Gleichschaltung process by passing the Enabling Act, giving the government the right to make laws without the involvement of the Reichstag.
1964 – In a radio broadcast, Nation of Islam leader Elijah Muhammad announced that American boxer Cassius Clay would change his name to Muhammad Ali (pictured).
1987 – The ferry Herald of Free Enterprise capsized while leaving the harbour of Zeebrugge, Belgium, killing 193 people on board.

Princess Clémentine of Orléans (b. 1817)
Ayn Rand (d. 1982)
Francisco Xavier do Amaral (d. 2012)

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Today's featured picture

The double-barred finch (Stizoptera bichenovii) is a small passerine bird in the family Estrildidae, found in dry savannah, dry grassland and shrubland habitats in northern and eastern Australia. Feeding on seeds, it is highly gregarious, and nests among grasses or in bushes or low trees. This double-barred finch was photographed in Glen Davis, New South Wales.

Photograph credit: JJ Harrison

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