By: History.com Editors

1994

Former President Richard Nixon dies

History.com Editors

Published: October 22, 2009

Last Updated: January 31, 2025

On April 22, 1994, former President Richard M. Nixon dies after suffering a stroke four days earlier. In a 1978 speech at Oxford University, Nixon admitted he had screwed up during his presidency but predicted that his achievements would be viewed more favorably with time. He told the young audience, “You’ll be here in the year 2000, see how I am regarded then.”

Richard M. Nixon

Find out why Nixon described himself as an introvert in an extrovert's job, and how his personality type may have affected his presidency.

Nixon is most often remembered for his involvement in the Watergate scandal as president and for his Cold War-era persecution of suspected communists while serving as a U.S. senator. However, Nixon left a legacy as complex as his personality.

Nixon did not owe his success in politics to personality or charm: in fact, even many of his staunch supporters described him as cold, aloof, crude, arrogant and paranoid. President Dwight D. Eisenhower himself, whom Nixon served as vice president, claimed that Nixon would never win the presidency because the people don’t like him. After proving his former boss wrong, Nixon left the office in disgrace, resigning in the face of impending impeachment. His paranoia of political sabotage by his opponents had inspired him to authorize the wire-tapping of enemies and supporters alike. Ironically, it was the conversations he taped in his own office that led to his ultimate downfall.

Despite the immense disappointment and distrust in government that the Watergate scandal inspired in most Americans, Nixon was correct in assuming that some aspects of his leadership would be judged favorably with the passage of time. These include his bold efforts to improve diplomatic relations with China and Russia, as well as pushing lasting and influential legislation through Congress. Nixon’s legislative legacy includes the National Environmental Policy Act, passed in 1969, which created the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Clean Water Act of 1972 and the Endangered Species Act of 1973. He also lowered the voting age to 18, established Amtrak, launched the space-shuttle program and authorized the formation of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). During his retirement, several subsequent presidents consulted Nixon for his expertise in international affairs.

Nixon and his wife Pat are both buried on the grounds of his birthplace in Yorba Linda, California. The site is also the home of the Richard Milhous Nixon Presidential Library.

Timeline

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1876

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1886

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1889

The Oklahoma land rush begins

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1915

Second Battle of Ypres begins

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1915

Germans introduce poison gas

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1945

Hitler admits defeat

On April 22, 1945, Adolf Hitler, learning from one of his generals that no German defense was offered to the Russian assault at Eberswalde, admits to all in his underground bunker that the war is lost and that suicide is his only recourse.  Almost as confirmation of Hitler’s assessment, a Soviet mechanized corps reaches Treuenbrietzen, […]

1954

McCarthy-Army hearings begin

Senator Joseph McCarthy begins hearings investigating the United States Army, which he charges with being “soft” on communism. These televised hearings gave the American public their first view of McCarthy in action, and his recklessness, indignant bluster and bullying tactics quickly resulted in his fall from prominence. In February 1950, Senator McCarthy charged that there […]

1957

John Irvin Kennedy plays for Phillies, fully integrating National League

On April 22, 1957, John Irvin Kennedy becomes the first African American player on the Philadelphia Phillies, fully integrating the National League 10 years after Jackie Robinson broke Major League Baseball’s color barrier. In the eighth inning of a 5-1 loss to the Brooklyn Dodgers at Roosevelt Stadium in Jersey City, N.J., Kennedy enters the […]

1970

The first Earth Day

Earth Day, an event to increase public awareness of the world’s environmental problems, is celebrated in the U.S. for the first time. Millions of Americans, including students from thousands of colleges and universities, participated in rallies, marches and educational programs across the country.

1978

Bob Marley headlines One Love Peace Concert

On April 22nd, 1978, international reggae superstar Bob Marley headlines the One Love Peace Concert at the National Stadium in Kingston, Jamaica. The lineup included 16 reggae acts (including Marley) with a common goal: to restore peace to the Caribbean island nation, a former British colony then roiling with political strife.  Throughout the 1970s, long-simmering […]

1978

The Blues Brothers make their world premiere on “Saturday Night Live”

On April 22, 1978, “Saturday Night Live” showcases the worldwide television debut of the Blues Brothers—the not-quite-real, not-quite-fake musical creation of SNL cast members Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi. The duo came complete with a made-up origin story. According to SNL’s Paul Shaffer, who introduced the new act, it was Marshall Checker, of the legendary […]

1989

100,000 Chinese students gather at Tiananmen Square, demand to meet Li Peng

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1992

Sewers explode in Guadalajara, Mexico, killing hundreds

Dozens of sewer explosions in Guadalajara, Mexico, kill more than 200 people and damage 1,000 buildings on April 22, 1992. The series of explosions was caused by a gas leak, the warning signs of which were ignored by the Mexican government and the national oil company. Three days prior to the explosions, the residents of […]

1997

Peruvian President Fujimori orders assault on Japanese ambassador’s home

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2004

Pat Tillman killed by friendly fire in Afghanistan

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Citation Information

Article title
Former President Richard Nixon dies
Website Name
History
Date Accessed
March 25, 2025
Publisher
A&E Television Networks
Last Updated
January 31, 2025
Original Published Date
October 22, 2009

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