of the Dust Bowl. 1937, April 26 Spanish Civil War : -- Guernica, Spain is bombed by German Luftwaffe. 1937, April 27 The nation's first Social Security checks were distributed. 1938, April 19 RCA - NBC begins the first regular television broadcasts. 1939, April 9 Marian Anderson (Feb. 27, 1897-Apr. 8, 1993)