5 Random Things About John Lennon

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In honor of the 29th anniversary of John Lennon’s untimely death, I present to you 5 random things about John Lennon. Feel free to leave extra facts about Lennon in the comments.

1. John Winston Lennon was born on October 9, 1940 in Liverpool, England during a German air raid. He was named after his grandfather and Winston Churchill.
2. John Lennon’s most (in)famous wife is Yoko Ono. However, Lennon’s first wife was Cynthia Powell who he married in 1962 and divorce in 1968.
3. John Lennon and Yoko Ono were well known peace activists (ironic considering Lennon was named after Winston Churchill), and they moved to New York City in 1971. Their presence in the U.S. drew the ire of the Nixon Administration who tried to have them deported. In 1973, the administration was successful in their attempt, and Lennon was given 60 days to leave the U.S. He appealed, though, and his status was resolved in 1976. For more information about this event, check out The U.S. vs. John Lennon.
4. John Lennon’s song “Imagine” is one of the most influential songs of all time. In fact, the U.S. Supreme Court quoted the song in a footnote of one its cases, Pleasant Grove City, Utah v. Summum:
   

   What, for example, is “the message” of the Greco-Roman mosaic of the word “Imagine” that was donated to New York City’s Central Park in memory of John Lennon? See NYC Brief 18; App. to id., at A5. Some observers may “imagine” the musical contributions that John Lennon would have made if he had not been killed. Others may think of the lyrics of the Lennon song that obviously inspired the mosaic and may “imagine” a world without religion, countries, possessions, greed, or hunger.

5. Mark David Chapman murdered John Lennon on December 8, 1980. He never described a motive, other than telling people to read The Catcher in the Rye because it was an “extraordinary book that holds many answers.” Chapman was sentenced to 20 years to life in prison and has been denied parole five times.

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