In 1942 "Deep In The Heart Of Texas" by Bing Crosby entered the U.S. singles chart. In 1955 Billboard magazine reported that sales of 45 rpm singles had surpassed 78 rpm rivals for the first time. In 1956 Little Richard's single "Long Tall Sally" was released. In 1960 Smokey Robinson and the Miracles made their first TV appearance on ABC-TV's "American Bandstand." In 1961 "Pony Time" by Chubby Checker hit #1 on the U.S. top 40 charts and stayed there for 3 weeks. In 1967 Pink Floyd's first single, "Arnold Layne," was released. In 1969 "Stormy" by the Classics IV was certified gold. In 1970 Simon & Garfunkel's single "Bridge Over Troubled Water" went gold. In 1970 Jefferson Airplane was fined $1000 for profanity on stage at a concert in Oklahoma City. In 1971 "What Is Life" by George Harrison entered the U.S. top 40 charts. In 1974 Joni Mitchell's album "Court And Spark...

In 1801 Washington, DC, was placed under the jurisdiction of Congress. In 1813 Congress authorized the use of steamboats to transport mail. In 1827 The first Mardi Gras was celebrated in New Orleans. In 1844 The Dominican Republic gained its independence. In 1861 In Warsaw, Russian troops fired on a crowd protesting Russian rule over Poland, killing five. In 1879 The artificial sweetener saccharin was discovered. In 1883 The first practical cigar-rolling machine was patented. In 1890 Boxers Danny Needham and Patsy Kerrigan fought 100 rounds in San Francisco before the match was declared a draw. In 1908 The design of the U.S. 46-star flag (adding Oklahoma) was officially released. In 1919 The American Association for the Hard of Hearing was formed in New York City. In 1922 The U.S. Supreme Court unanimously upheld the 19th Amendment to the Constitution that guaranteed a woman's right to vote. In 1922 Reader's Digest began publication. In 1932 Physicist James Chadwick...

In 1807 American poet, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow In 1850 Philanthropist/railroad builder, Henry E. Huntington In 1877 Sports owner Walter Briggs (Detroit Tigers) In 1888 Historian, Arthur Meier Schlesinger In 1889 Physiologist, Charles Herbert (discovered insulin) In 1891 Inventor, David Sarnoff (founded RCA, NBC) In 1892 Actor, William Demarest (Uncle Charley-My Three Sons) In 1895 Actor, Edward Brophy (The Last Hurrah) In 1902 Golf Hall-of-Famer, Gene Sarazen (invented the sand wedge) [d: 3-13-99] In 1902 Author, John Steinbeck (The Grapes Of Wrath) [d: 12-20-68] In 1903 Actor, Reginald Gardiner (The Pruitts of Southhampton) [d: 4-25-90] In 1904 American author James Thomas Farrell (Studs Lonigan) [d: 8-22-79] In 1904 Singer/actress Elisabeth Welch (Stormy Weather) [d: 7-15-03] In 1905 Actor, Franchot Tone (Dr. Freeland-Ben Casey) [d: 9-18-68] In 1910 Actress, Joan Bennett (Little Women, Dark Shadows) [d: 12-7-90] In 1910 Auto racer Ted Horn (most consecutive national titles 1946-48...

In 1946 Dizzy Gillespie first recorded his best-known composition, "A Night in Tunisia." In 1960 "Puppy Love" by Paul Anka entered the U.S. top 40 charts. In 1960 "Theme From A Summer Place" by Percy Faith hit #1 on the U.S. top 40 charts and stayed there for 9 weeks. In 1963 The Beatles formed Northern Songs, their own music publishing company. In 1964 The Beatles arrived back in England after their first U.S. visit. In 1967 The Beatles wrapped up a recording of "A Day In The Life" with their roadie Mal Evans striking the famous final e-major chord on three grand pianos. In 1968 Jefferson Airplane performed on "The Tonight Show starring Johnny Carson." In 1968 Genesis' first single, "The Silent Sun," was released. In 1969 David Bowie opened for T-Rex in England at the Free Trade Hall in Manchester. He didn't perform a musical act but a silent 1-man mime telling the story of a young Tibetan Buddhist monk. In 1972 ...

In 1630 Popcorn was introduced by an Indian named Quadequina to the English colonists at their first Thanksgiving dinner in America. In 1784 A U.S. clipper, the "Empress of China," left New York City for the Far East. In 1819 Spain ceded Florida to the United States. In 1856 The first national meeting of the Republican Party took place in Pittsburgh. In 1865 Tennessee adopted a new constitution abolishing slavery. In 1879 F.W. Woolworth opened his five-cent store in Utica, New York. In 1889 President Cleveland signed a bill to admit South Dakota, North Dakota, Montana, and Washington state to the Union. In 1892 The Oscar Wilde play "Lady Windermere's Fan" was first performed at London's St. James Theatre. In 1900 Hawaii became a U.S. Territory. In 1902 Major Walter Reed showed that mosquitoes carry yellow fever. In 1920 The Emeryville, California, dog track introduced the first mechanical rabbit. In 1924 Calvin Coolidge delivered the first presidential radio...

In 1403 King Charles VII of France (1422-61) In 1732 George Washington, the first U.S. president (1789-1796) In 1749 Johann Nikolaus Forkel, the first biographer of Bach In 1778 Historical painter, Rembrandt Peale In 1788 German philosopher, Arthur Schopenhauer In 1810 Composer/pianist, Frederic Chopin In 1819 American essayist/poet, James Russell Lowell In 1857 Philanthropist, Lord Robert Baden-Powell (founded Boy Scouts) In 1857 Physicist, Heinrich Hertz (the first radio broadcaster) In 1874 Baseball Hall-of-Famer, Bill Klem (first umpire elected) In 1876 Pauline Musters became the shortest adult known (58.9 cm, 1' 11.2") In 1896 Actress, Enid Markey (the first Jane in Tarzan movies) In 1899 Actor, Dwight Frye (Dracula, Frankenstein) In 1900 German engineer Paul Kollsman (altimeter) [d: 9-26-05] In 1900 Greek poet, Giorgios Seferis (Nobel-1963) [d: 9-20-71] In 1901 Supreme Court Justice Charles E. Whittaker (1957-62) [d: 11-26-73] In 1903 Cartoonist, Bill Holman (Smokey Stov...

In 1948 "I'm Looking Over A Four-Leaf Clover" by Art Mooney was #1 on the U.S. top 40 charts. In 1953 "Kawliga" by Hank Williams entered the U.S. Country chart. In 1958 The first Gibson model Flying V guitar was shipped. In 1964 The Rolling Stones' single "Not Fade Away" was released. (It enters the U.S. charts on the following May.) In 1970 Creedence Clearwater Revival appeared on the cover of Rolling Stone. In 1970 The Jackson 5 made their TV debut on ABC's "American Bandstand." In 1970 Simon & Garfunkel's album "Bridge Over Troubled Water" began a 126-week run on the UK charts. In 1970 "Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes)" by Edison Lighthouse entered the U.S. top 40 charts. In 1971 The Fifth Dimension sang a medley of their hits on the "Sullivan Show." In 1972 "Precious & Few" by Climax was certified gold. In 1975 David Bowie's album "Young Americans" was released. ...

In 1804 The first self-propelled locomotive on rails was demonstrated in Wales. In 1846 Sarah G. Bagley became the first female telegrapher in Lowell, MA. In 1857 Congress outlawed using foreign currency as legal tender in the U.S. In 1858 The first electric burglar alarm was installed in Boston, MA. In 1866 Lucy B. Hobbs became the first woman to graduate from dental school at the Ohio College of Dental Surgery in Cincinnati. In 1878, the District Telephone Company of New Haven, Connecticut, issued the first telephone directory. It contained 50 names. In 1885 The Washington Monument was dedicated to the nation's capital. In 1887 Oregon became the first U.S. state to make Labor Day a holiday. In 1902 The first U.S. brain surgery was performed by Dr. Harvey Cushing. In 1916 The Battle of Verdun, the longest and bloodiest battle of World War I, began in France. In 1925 The New Yorker magazine made its debut. In 1947 Edwin H. Land demonstrated his first Polaroid camera, which used a s...

In 1794 Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna, president of Mexico (1833-36) In 1893 Spanish classical guitarist, Andres Segovia In 1915 Actress, Ann Sheridan (Pistols 'N Petticoats) [d: 1-21-67] In 1925 Director, Sam Peckinpah (Wild Bunch, Straw Dogs) [d: 12-28-84] In 1925 Basketball coach Jack Ramsay (Portland) [d: 4-28-14] In 1927 Author, Erma Bombeck (Grass is Always Greener) [d: 4-22-96] In 1927 French fashion designer Hubert de Givenchy (Audrey Hepburn) [d: 3-10-18] In 1933 Singer/songwriter Nina Simone (I Love You Porgy) [d: 4-21-03] In 1934 Actress, Rue McClanahan (Maude, Mama's Family, Golden Girls) [d: 6-3-10] In 1935 Actor, Mark McManus (Taggart) [d: 6-6-94] In 1937 Actor, Gary Lockwood (Frank-2001 A Space Odyssey, Survival Zone) (86) In 1938 Actor, Richard Beymer (West Side Story, Benjamin-Twin Peaks) (85) In 1944 Actress, Kitty Winn (The Exorcist, The Exorcist II) (79) In 1946 Daughter of President Richard Nixon, Tricia Nixon-Cox (77) In 1946 Actress, Tyne Daly (Mary Beth-Ca...

In 1893 Giuseppe Verdi's last opera, "Falstaff," was first performed in Milan, Italy. In 1957 "Too Much" by Elvis Presley hit #1 on the U.S. top 40 charts and stayed there for 3 weeks. In 1959 "Venus" by Frankie Avalon entered the U.S. top 40 charts. In 1959 "Stagger Lee" by Lloyd Price hit #1 on the U.S. top 40 charts and stayed there for 4 weeks. In 1962 Neil Sedaka recorded "Breaking Up Is Hard To Do." In 1963 "In Dreams" by Roy Orbison entered the U.S. top 40 charts. In 1963 "Hey Paula" by Paul & Paula hit #1 on the U.S. top 40 charts and stayed there for 3 weeks. In 1964 73 million viewers watched the Beatles in their first live appearance on the "Ed Sullivan Show." Also appearing on the show: future Monkees member Davy Jones, as a member of the cast of "Oliver." In 1970 Simon & Garfunkel's album "Bridge Over Troubled Water" was certified gold. In 1972 Paul McCartney...

In 1825 John Quincy Adams was elected President by the U.S. House of Representatives after no candidate received a majority of electoral votes. In 1861 The Provisional Congress of the Confederate States of America, meeting in Montgomery, Alabama, elected Jefferson Davis as president. In 1863 The fire extinguisher was patented by Alanson Crane. In 1877 The U.S. Weather Service was founded. In 1933 The temperature at Yellowstone National Park dropped to 66 below zero. In 1942 The U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff held its first formal meeting to coordinate American military strategy during World War II. In 1942 Daylight-savings "War Time" went into effect in the U.S., with clocks turned one hour forward. In 1943 The U.S. won a major strategic battle during World War II when Japan evacuated Guadalcanal. In 1943 In her first address to the House, U.S. Rep. Clare Boothe Luce derided Vice President Henry A. Wallace's "global thinking" as "globaloney." In 1949 Actor...

In 1773 William Henry Harrison, the 9th U.S. president (1841) In 1834 King Kamehameha IV Of Hawaii In 1846 Engineer Wilhelm Maybach (chief designer of the first Mercedes) In 1866 American journalist/humorist, George Ade In 1874 American critic/poet Amy Lowell (Patterns) In 1883 Inventor, John G. Carter (Miniature Golf) In 1885 Austrian composer, Alban Maria Johannes Berg In 1891 Actor, Ronald Colman (Tale of Two Cities) [d: 5-19-58] In 1892 Actress/singer Peggy Wood (The Sound of Music) [d: 3-18-78] In 1897 Aviator, Sir Charles Edward Kingsford Smith (mid-Pacific by air) In 1909 U.S. Secretary of State Dean Rusk (1961-69) [d: 12-20-94] In 1909 Actress, Heather Angel (Last of the Mohicans) [d: 12-13-86] In 1909 Singer/actress Carmen Miranda (Nancy Goes To Rio) [d: 8-5-55] In 1914 Actress/stripper Gypsy Rose Lee [Louise Hovick] [d: 4-26-70] In 1914 Early baseball club owner Bill Veeck [d: 1-2-86] In 1914 Country legend Ernest Tubb (Walking The Floor) [d: 9-6-84] In 1923 Irish author Bren...

In 1954 RCA Victor reduces the price of an album to $3.99. In 1955 Elvis Presley's first live appearance is held at the Memphis, TN, auditorium. In 1960 "Earth Angel" composer/singer, Jesse Belvin, is killed in a car accident. In 1965 "Ferry Cross The Mercy" by Gerry and the Pacemakers enters the U.S. top 40 chart. In 1965 "You Lost That Lovin' Feeling" by the Righteous Brothers hits #1 on the U.S. top 40 chart and stayed there for 2 weeks. In 1966 Simon & Garfunkel, as well as the Animals, are musical guests on CBS-TV's "Ed Sullivan Show." In 1970 The New York Post uncovers Charles Manson's fixation with the Beatles' "Helter Skelter." In 1970 John Lennon's single "Instant Karma" is released in the UK on Apple Records. In 1971 Conway Twitty & Loretta Lynn make their debut on the U.S. Country charts as a duo with "After The Fire Has Gone." In 1971 "For All We Know" by the Carp...

 

In 1587 Mary, Queen of Scots was beheaded at Fotheringhay Castle in England after she was implicated in a plot to kill her cousin, Queen Elizabeth I. In 1672 Isaac Newton read the first optics paper before the Royal Society. In 1693 A charter was granted for the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia. In 1837 For the only time in history, the U.S. Senate chose the vice president of the United States, selecting Richard Johnson after no one candidate received a majority of electoral votes. In 1861 The Confederate States of America was organized in Montgomery, Alabama. In 1883 Louis Waterman began experiments that invented the fountain pen. In 1904 The Russo-Japanese War began as Japan besieged Port Arthur in Manchuria. In 1910 The Boy Scouts of America was incorporated. In 1915 D.W. Griffith's silent film classic "The Birth Of A Nation" premieres at Clune's Auditorium in Los Angeles, California. In 1922 President Warren Harding had a radio installed at th...

In 1677 Astronomer, Jacques Cassini (Saturn's satellite) In 1777 French chemist Bernard Courtois (iodine) In 1820 Civil War general William Tecumseh Sherman (Union Army) In 1828 French novelist Jules Verne (20,000 Leagues Under the Sea) In 1882 Actor, George Siegmann (Birth of Nation, Oliver Twist) In 1886 Cartoon voicist Charlie Ruggles (Aesop-Bullwinkle Show) In 1888 English actress Dame Edith Evans (Tom Jones, David Copperfield) In 1894 Canadian fighter ace/pilot William Avery Bishop (WWI) In 1902 Actor, Lyle Talbot (Paul Fonda-Bob Cummings Show) [d: 3-3-96] In 1906 Inventor, Chester F. Carlson (xerography [photocopy]) [d: 9-19-68] In 1908 Actor, Myron McCormick (No Time For Sergeants) [d: 7-30-62] In 1918 Actress, Betty Field (Of Mice & Men, Bus Stop) [d: 9-13-73] In 1921 Actress, Lana Turner (The Postman Always Rings Twice) [d: 6-29-95] In 1924 Actress, Audrey Meadows (Alice-The Honeymooners) [d: 2-3-96] In 1925 Actor, Jack Lemmon (The Odd Couple, Grumpy Old Men) [d: 6-27-...

 

In 1954 RCA Victor reduced the price of an album to $3.99. In 1955 Elvis Presley's first live appearance was held at the Memphis, TN, auditorium. In 1960 "Earth Angel" composer/singer Jesse Belvin was killed in a car accident. In 1965 "Ferry Cross The Mercy" by Gerry and the Pacemakers entered the U.S. top 40 charts. In 1965 "You Lost That Lovin' Feeling" by the Righteous Brothers hit #1 on the U.S. top 40 charts and stayed there for 2 weeks. In 1966 Simon & Garfunkel and the Animals were musical guests on CBS-TV's "Ed Sullivan Show." In 1970 The New York Post uncovered Charles Manson's fixation with the Beatles' "Helter Skelter." In 1970 John Lennon's single "Instant Karma" was released in the UK on Apple Records. In 1971 Conway Twitty & Loretta Lynn debuted on the U.S. Country charts as a duo with "After The Fire Has Gone." In 1971 "For All We Know" by the Carpenters and ...

In 1693 The College of William and Mary was chartered in Williamsburg, VA. In 1778 France became the first nation to recognize American independence. In 1788 Massachusetts became the 6th U.S. state. In 1815 The state of New Jersey issued the first American railroad charter to John Stevens. In 1899, the Senate ratified a peace treaty between the U.S. and Spain. In 1922 The U.S., Britain, France, Italy, and Japan signed a Washington naval arms limitation agreement. In 1933 The 20th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, the "lame duck" amendment, went into effect, changing the date of presidential inaugurations from March to January. In 1943 A Los Angeles jury acquitted actor Errol Flynn of three counts of statutory rape. In 1952 Britain's King George VI died and was succeeded to the throne by his daughter Elizabeth II. In 1959 Fidel Castro was interviewed by Edward R. Murrow. In 1959, the U.S. successfully test-fires a Titan intercontinental ballistic missile from Cape Canave...

In 1637 Toyotomi Hideyoshi unified Japan In 1665 Queen Anne Of England (1702-14) In 1756 Aaron Burr, third U.S. vice-president (1801-05) In 1802 Inventor, Sir Charles Wheatstone (the telegraph) In 1814 Educator, Edward Frederick Sorin (founded the University of Notre Dame) In 1838 English actor Sir Henry Irving (Hamlet) In 1895 Baseball Hall-of-Famer, George Herman "Babe" Ruth (Yankees) In 1899 Mexican actor, Ramon Novarro (Ben Hur, Mata Hari) In 1902 Lawyer, Louis Nizer (defended blacklisted 50's stars) [d: 11-10-94] In 1903 Pianist/composer Claudio Arrau (Boston Symphony) [d: 6-9-91] In 1911 Ronald Reagan, the 40th U.S. president (1981-1989) [d: 6-5-04] In 1913 Actor, John Lund (My Friend Irma, High Society) [d: 5-10-92] In 1914 Actor, Thurl Ravenscroft (voice of Tony the Tiger) [d: 5-22-05] In 1917 Actress, Zsa Zsa Gabor (Man Who Wouldn't Talk, Moulin Rouge) [d: 12-18-16] In 1922 Actor, Patrick Macnee (The Avengers, A View To A Kill) [d: 6-25-15] In 1926 Baseball p...

 

In 1862 The "Battle Hymn of the Republic," a poem by Julia Ward Howe is published in the Atlantic Monthly. In 1893 Giacomo Puccini's opera "Manon Lescaut" premieres in Turin, Italy. In 1896 The Puccini opera "La Boheme" premieres in Turin. In 1950 RCA introduces the first 45 rpm record player. In 1960 "Wild One" by Bobby Rydell enters the U.S. top 40 chart. In 1963 Bobby Darin purchases the Trinity Music publishing firm. In 1964 Matthew Welsh, the governor of Indiana, issues a ban on "Louie Louie" by the Kingsmen, calling it "pornographic." In 1964 Bob Dylan's album "The Times They Are A Changin'" is released. In 1964 "Dawn (Go Away)" by the Four Seasons enters the U.S. top 40 chart. In 1964 "I Want To Hold Your Hand" by the Beatles hits #1 on the U.S. top40 chart and stayed there for 7 weeks. In 1965 The Rolling Stones' album "The Rolling Stones Now" is released. In 1967...

In 1709 Daniel Defoe's Robinson Crusoe was rescued. In 1790 The U.S. Supreme Court convened for the first time at the Royal Exchange Building on Broad Street in New York. In 1861 Texas voted to secede from the Union during the Civil War. In 1862 The "Battle Hymn of the Republic," a poem by Julia Ward Howe, was published in the Atlantic Monthly. In 1867 Bricklayers started working 8-hour days. In 1893 Thomas Edison completed work on the world's first motion picture studio in West Orange, New Jersey. In 1898 The Travelers Insurance Company of Hartford, CT, issued the first auto insurance policy to Dr. Truman J. Martin of Buffalo, New York, for $11.05. In 1914 Pennsylvania created the first movie censorship board. In 1920 The first armored car was introduced. In 1920 The Royal Canadian Mounted Police was formed when the RoyalNorthwest Mounted Police merged with the Dominion Police. In 1943 One of America's most decorated military units of World War II, the 442nd Regi...

In 1791 Inventor, Charles J. Sax (saxophone) In 1805 French revolutionary leader, Auguste Blanqui In 1828 Financier/industrialist, Meyer Guggenheim In 1838 Cartoonist, Joseph Keppler (founded the first successful U.S. weekly) In 1844 Psychologist/educator Granville Hall (developed child psychology) In 1850 Politician, Hattie Caraway (the first woman elected to U.S. Senate) In 1859 Conductor/songwriter Victor August Herbert (Babes in Toyland) In 1887 Author/publisher Harry Scherman (co-founded the Book of the Month club) In 1894 Songwriter, Herman Hupfield (As Time Goes By) In 1894 Jazz pianist/composer James Price Johnson (Charleston) In 1895 Film director John Ford (The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance) In 1901 Actor, Clark Gable (Gone With The Wind) [d: 11-16-60] In 1902 Poet/playwright Langston Hughes (The Weary Blues) [d: 5-22-67] In 1904 Trombonist, Joe "Tricky Sam" Nanton (Duke Ellington) [d: 7-20-46] In 1904 Author, S.J. Perelman (Around The World In 80 Days) [d: 10-17-79]...