Hank Aaron hits his 715th career home run, surpassing Babe Ruth's record amid a barrage of racist threats.
At a Glance
- Date
- 8 April 1974
- Location
- Atlanta, Georgia
- Key people
- Hank Aaron
- Category
- Sports
- Source
- Game records, April 8, 1974 · National Baseball Hall of Fame
What It Meant Then
He endured a year of hate mail to claim one of sport's most hallowed records.
What It Means Now
Aaron's perseverance is remembered as triumph over racism.
Cite this page
- MLA
- “Hank Aaron Breaks the Home-Run Record.” Black-History.com, 30 Sept. 2026, https://black-history.com/on-this-day/hank-aaron-breaks-the-home-run-record/.
- APA
- Black-History.com Editors. (2026, September 30). Hank Aaron Breaks the Home-Run Record. Black-History.com. https://black-history.com/on-this-day/hank-aaron-breaks-the-home-run-record/
- Chicago
- Black-History.com Editors. “Hank Aaron Breaks the Home-Run Record.” Black-History.com. September 30, 2026. https://black-history.com/on-this-day/hank-aaron-breaks-the-home-run-record/.
Editorial Note
By the Black-History.com editors. Last reviewed 30 September 2026. To suggest a primary source or a correction, write to editors@black-history.com or use our corrections form.