Events, Births and Deaths Happening on this Date

1773

The first public museum (the Charleston Museum) in America was established, in Charleston, South Carolina.

1866

The Royal Aeronautical Society was founded in London.

1879

The British-Zulu War began.

1915

The United States House of Representatives rejected a proposal to give women the right to vote.

1915

Congress established Rocky Mountain National Park.

1932

Hattie W. Caraway becomes the first woman elected to United States Senate.

1942

President Roosevelt created the National War Labor Board.

1945

During World War II, Soviet forces began a huge offensive against the Germans in Eastern Europe.

1948

The Supreme Court ruled that states could not discriminate against law-school applicants because of race.

1959

"The Bell Telephone Hour," a musical series, premiered on television.

1964

Leftist rebels in Zanzibar began their successful revolt against the government.

1966

President Johnson said in his State of the Union address that the United States should stay in South Vietnam until Communist aggression there was ended.

1966

"Batman" premiered on TV.

1969

The New York Jets defeated the Baltimore Colts 16-7 in Super Bowl III at the Orange Bowl in Miami.

1971

The ground-breaking situation comedy "All in the Family" premiered on CBS.

1986

Space shuttle Columbia blasted off with a crew that included the first Hispanic-American in space, Dr. Franklin R. Chang-Diaz.

1991

A deeply divided Congress gave President George Bush authority to wage war in the Persian Gulf. The Senate voted 52-47 to empower Bush to use force to expel Iraq from Kuwait; the House followed suit, 250-183.

1998

Nineteen European nations signed a treaty in Paris opposing human cloning.

1998

Linda Tripp provided Independent Counsel Kenneth Starr's office with taped conversations between herself and former White House intern Monica Lewinsky.

1998

Carlos Santana is the first Hispanic inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

1999

Mark McGwire's 70th home run ball was sold at auction in New York for $3 million to an anonymous bidder.

2000

The U.S. Supreme Court, in a 5-4 ruling, gave police broad authority to stop and question people who run at the sight of an officer.

1588

John Winthrop, the first governor of Massachusetts Bay Colony.

1729

Edmund Burke, British statesman and orator.

1737

John Hancock, American, first signer of the Declaration of Independence.

1876

Jack London (John Chaney), American author.

1905

Tex Ritter, singer and actor.

1944

Joe Frazier, boxer.

1997

HAL, the computer in Stanley Kubrick's movie 2001: A Space Odyssey, informs the crew that he was built on this day.

1519

Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian I died.

1976

Mystery writer Dame Agatha Christie died in Wallingford, England, at age 85.

2000

Charlotte Hornets guard Bobby Phills was killed in a crash during a drag race.

2003

Bee Gee Maurice Gibb dies aged 53 following a stomach operation at Mount Sinai Medical Center in Miami.