This Day in History

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THIS DAY IN HISTORY July 30

1965 President Johnson signs Medicare into law On July 30, 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson signs Medicare, a health insurance program for elderly Americans, into law. At the bill-signing ceremony, which took place at the Truman Library in Independence, Missouri, former President Harry Truman was enrolled as Medicare's first beneficiary and received the first... read more

19th CENTURY 1866 The New Orleans Massacre

Art, Literature, and Film History 1966 The Troggs take their signature hit, "Wild Thing," to #1 1999 "The Blair Witch Project" released in theaters

Civil War 1864 Union forces stopped at the Battle of the Crater

Crime 1994 Man charged in murder of Megan Kanka

Inventions & Science 2003 Last classic VW Beetle rolls off the line

Natural Disasters & Environment 1971 Fighter jet collides with passenger plane

Sports 1976 Caitlyn Jenner wins Olympic decathlon

U.S. Presidents 1956 President Eisenhower signs "In God We Trust" into law 1974 Watergate affair approaches climax

U.S. Government 1619 First legislative assembly in America convenes in Jamestown

World War II 1943 Hitler gets news of Italy's imminent defection 1945 USS Indianapolis torpedoed

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THIS DAY IN HISTORY July 31 1975 Labor leader Jimmy Hoffa is reported missing On the morning of July 31, 1975, James Riddle Hoffa, one of the most influential American labor leaders of the 20th century, is officially reported missing after he failed to return home the previous night. Though he is popularly believed to have been the victim of a Mafia hit, conclusive evidence... read more American Revolution 1777 Marquis de Lafayette becomes a major-general without pay Natural Disasters & Environment 1715 Hurricane sinks Spanish treasure ships Religion 1556 Ignatius of Loyola, founder of the Jesuit order, dies Space Exploration 1964 Ranger 7 photographs moon World War I 1917 Third Battle of Ypres begins in Flanders World War II 1941 Preparations for the Final Solution begin

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THIS DAY IN HISTORY August 1 1943 Operation Tidal Wave: U.S. forces attempt risky air raid on Axis oil refineries On August 1, 1943, 177 B-24 bombers take off from an Allied base in Libya, bound for the oil-producing city Ploiești, Romania, nicknamed "Hitler's gas station." The daring raid, known as Operation Tidal Wave, resulted in five men being awarded the Medal of Honor—three of them posthumously—but failed... read more 1960s 1961 The first Six Flags opens in Texas Art, Literature, and Film History 1981 MTV launches 1996 George R.R. Martin's "Game of Thrones" debuts BLACK HISTORY 1943 The Harlem Riot of 1943 begins Civil War 1864 Philip Sheridan takes command of Army of the Shenandoah Cold War 1975 Helsinki Final Act signed Crime 1966 An ex-Marine goes on a killing spree at the University of Texas Exploration 1498 Columbus lands in South America Germany 1936 Hitler oversees Berlin Olympics opening ceremony Holocaust 1944 Anne Frank writes her last diary entry Sports 1996 Michael Johnson brings home second gold U.S. Presidents 1972 George W. Bush is suspended from flying with the Air National Guard World War I 1914 First World War erupts World War II 1943 PT-109 sinks; Lieutenant Kennedy is instrumental in saving crew 1944 Warsaw Revolt begins

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THIS DAY IN HISTORY August 2 1990 Iraq invades Kuwait On August 2, 1990, at about 2 a.m. local time, Iraqi forces invade Kuwait, Iraq's tiny, oil-rich neighbor. Kuwait's defense forces were rapidly overwhelmed, and those that were not destroyed retreated to Saudi Arabia. The emir of Kuwait, his family, and other government leaders fled to Saudi Arabia,... read more American Revolution 1776 Delegates sign Declaration of Independence Civil War 1865 CSS Shenandoah learns the war is over Cold War 1945 Potsdam Conference concludes Crime 1876 Wild Bill Hickok is murdered 1942 Man murdered near L.A. reservoir Natural Disasters & Environment 1985 Sudden thunderstorm causes plane crash Sports 1992 Jackie Joyner-Kersee wins gold in heptathlon, again U.S. Presidents 1923 President Warren G. Harding dies before scandals break World War I 1917 Mutiny breaks out on German battleship World War II 1934 Hitler becomes dictator of Germany

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THIS DAY IN HISTORY August 3 1958 Nautilus submarine travels under North Pole On August 3, 1958, the U.S. nuclear submarine Nautilus accomplishes the first undersea voyage to the geographic North Pole. The world's first nuclear submarine, the Nautilus dived at Point Barrow, Alaska, and traveled nearly 1,000 miles under the Arctic ice cap to reach the top of the world. It then... read more 1970s 1975 Boeing 707 crashes into a mountain near Agadir, Morocco 19th Century 1846 Donner Party encounters first delay Art, Literature, and Film History 1977 "The Spy Who Loved Me" released in theaters 1996 "The Macarena" begins its reign atop the U.S. pop charts 2008 Multimillion-dollar baby photos published Cold War 1948 Chambers accuses Hiss of being a communist spy Crime 1982 Sodomy arrest sparks controversy Exploration 1492 Columbus sets sail Great Britain 1916 Sir Roger Casement hanged Sports 1949 NBA is born U.S. Presidents 1923 Calvin Coolidge takes oath of office after Warren G. Harding's death Vietnam War 1965 TV news shows Marines burning village World War I 1914 Germany and France declare war on each other

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THIS DAY IN HISTORY August 4 1944 Anne Frank captured Acting on tip from a Dutch informer, the Nazi Gestapo captures 15-year-old Jewish diarist Anne Frank and her family in a sealed-off area of an Amsterdam warehouse. The Franks had taken shelter there in 1942 out of fear of deportation to a Nazi concentration camp. They occupied the small space with a... read more Art, Literature, and Film History 2006 "Talladega Nights" released in theaters Civil Rights Movement 1964 Slain civil rights workers found Colonial America 1753 George Washington becomes a Master Mason Crime 1892 Lizzie Borden's parents found dead 2019 Dayton, Ohio shooting becomes second mass shooting in 24-hour period Immigration 1942 U.S. and Mexico sign the Mexican Farm Labor Agreement Sports 1936 Jesse Owens wins long jump—and respect—in Germany 2012 Oscar Pistorius becomes the first amputee runner to compete at the Olympics Westward Expansion 1873 Colonel Custer and 7th Cavalry attacked by the Sioux World War I 1914 U.S. proclaims neutrality in World War I

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THIS DAY IN HISTORY August 5 1962 Marilyn Monroe is found dead On August 5, 1962, movie actress Marilyn Monroe is found dead in her home in Los Angeles. She was discovered lying nude on her bed, face down, with a telephone in one hand. Empty bottles of pills, prescribed to treat her depression, were littered around the room. After a brief investigation, Los Ang... read more 19th Century 1858 First transatlantic telegraph cable completed 21st Century 2002 Divers recover U.S.S. Monitor turret Art, Literature, and Film History 1957 "American Bandstand" goes national 1983 "Risky Business" debuts, launches Tom Cruise to stardom Civil War 1864 Union scores a victory at the Battle of Mobile Bay Cold War 1963 Nuclear Test Ban Treaty signed Crime 1998 Mother charged with smothering her eight children Inventions & Science 1914 First electric traffic signal installed Sports 1976 NBA merges with ABA U.S. Presidents 1861 Abraham Lincoln imposes first federal income tax 1981 Ronald Reagan fires 11,359 air-traffic controllers World War I 1914 German assault on Liege begins first battle of World War I World War II 1944 Hundreds of Jews are freed from forced labor in Warsaw

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THIS DAY IN HISTORY August 6 1945 American bomber drops atomic bomb on Hiroshima On August 6, 1945, the United States becomes the first and only nation to use atomic weaponry during wartime when it drops an atomic bomb on the Japanese city of Hiroshima. Approximately 80,000 people are killed as a direct result of the blast, and another 35,000 are injured. At least another 60,000... read more   The Mega-Brands That Built America A new episode of The Mega-Brands That Built America premieres Sunday, August 6 at 9/8c on The HISTORY© Channel. Streams the next day in the HISTORY App. Learn More 19th Century 1890 First execution by electric chair Art, Literature, and Film History 1911 Lucille Ball is born 1928 Andy Warhol is born Civil War 1862 Confederate ship blown up by crew Crime 1902 Mobster Dutch Schultz is born 1930 Joseph Force Crater becomes the missingest man in New York Sports 1926 Gertrude Ederle becomes first woman to swim English Channel 1948 Vicki Draves and Sammy Lee become the first Asian Americans to win an Olympic gold medal for the U.S. U.S. Presidents 1965 President Johnson signs Voting Rights Act United States Constitution 1787 First draft of Constitution debated Vietnam War 1969 Green Berets are charged with murder INVENTIONS & SCIENCE 1996 Researchers claim to have found signs of Martian life in Antarctic meteorite

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THIS DAY IN HISTORY August 7 1782 George Washington creates the Purple Heart On August 7, 1782, in Newburgh, New York, General George Washington, the commander in chief of the Continental Army, creates the "Badge for Military Merit," a decoration consisting of a purple, heart-shaped piece of silk, edged with a narrow binding of silver, with the word Merit stitched across the... read more 1970s 1974 Philippe Petit walks on a tightrope between the Twin Towers 21st Century 2005 Trapped Russian sub rescued Africa 1998 U.S. embassies in East Africa bombed Inventions & Science 1944 Volkswagen halts production during World War II 1947 Norwegian explorer completes 4,300-mile ocean voyage in wooden raft Latin America 1956 Mysterious explosions in Colombia Space Exploration 1959 The first U.S. satellite to photograph the Earth is launched Sports 1987 Lynne Cox swims into communist territory U.S. Presidents 1990 President George H.W. Bush orders Operation Desert Shield U.S. Politics 1912 Teddy Roosevelt nominated as Bull Moose candidate Vietnam War 1964 Congress passes Gulf of Tonkin Resolution World War II 1942 U.S. forces invade Guadalcanal

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THIS DAY IN HISTORY August 8 1974 Nixon resigns In an evening televised address on August 8, 1974, President Richard M. Nixon announces his intention to become the first president in American history to resign. With impeachment proceedings underway against him for his involvement in the Watergate affair, Nixon was finally bowing to pressure from ... read more 19th Century 1879 Emiliano Zapata born 21st Century 2008 5-day long Russo-Georgian War begins Art, Literature, and Film History 1986 Spike Lee's first feature, "She's Gotta Have It," premieres 1988 Gangsta rap hits the mainstream with the release of N.W.A's "Straight Outta Compton" Civil War 1863 Robert E. Lee offers resignation as commander of the Confederate army Religion 1844 Brigham Young chosen to lead Mormon Church Sports 1988 Lights go on at Wrigley U.S. Government 1945 President Truman signs United Nations Charter 2009 Sonia Sotomayor is sworn in as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court World War I 1918 Battle of Amiens World War II 1942 German saboteurs executed in Washington, D.C. 1945 Soviets declare war on Japan; invade Manchuria INVENTIONS & SCIENCE 1975 The term “global warming” appears for the first time

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THIS DAY IN HISTORY August 9 1974 Gerald Ford becomes president after Richard Nixon resigns In accordance with his statement of resignation the previous evening, Richard M. Nixon officially ends his term as the 37th president of the United States at noon on August 9, 1974. Before departing with his family in a helicopter from the White House lawn, he smiled farewell and enigmatically raise... read more 21st Century 2010 JetBlue flight attendant quits job via escape slide 2014 Michael Brown is killed by a police officer in Ferguson, Missouri Ancient Rome 378 Romans routed at Adrianople Art, Literature, and Film History 1854 Henry David Thoreau's "Walden" is published 1995 Grateful Dead's Jerry Garcia dies Crime 1969 Charles Manson cult kills five, including actress Sharon Tate Native American History 1877 Nez Perce fight Battle of the Big Hole Sports 1936 Jesse Owens wins 4th gold medal 1988 The Great One gets traded World War II 1945 Atomic bomb dropped on Nagasaki

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THIS DAY IN HISTORY August 10 1977 Son of Sam serial killer is arrested On August 10, 1977, 24-year-old postal employee David Berkowitz is arrested and charged with being the “Son of Sam,” the serial killer who terrorized New York City for more than a year, killing six young people and wounding seven others with a .44-caliber revolver. ... read more 19th Century 1846 Smithsonian Institution created American Revolution 1776 London learns of American independence Art, Literature, and Film History 1793 Louvre Museum opens 1912 Virginia and Leonard Woolf marry 1937 First-ever electric guitar patent awarded to the Electro String Corporation 1984 "Red Dawn," first PG-13 movie, is released Inventions & Science 1978 Fatal Ford Pinto crash in Indiana Natural Disasters & Environment 2003 Temperatures in UK top 100 F for first time during European heat wave Sports 1981 Pete Rose sets National League hits record World War II 1945 Japan accepts Potsdam terms, agrees to unconditional surrender

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THIS DAY IN HISTORY August 11 1934 Federal prisoners land on Alcatraz A group of federal prisoners classified as "most dangerous" arrives at Alcatraz Island, a 22-acre rocky outcrop situated 1.5 miles offshore in San Francisco Bay, on August 11, 1934. The convicts—the first civilian prisoners to be housed in the new high-security penitentiary—joined a few dozen milita... read more 1960s 1965 Watts Rebellion begins Art, Literature, and Film History 1973 Hip hop is born at a birthday party in the Bronx 1973 "American Graffiti" opens 2014 Oscar-winning actor Robin Williams dies at 63 Civil War 1864 Confederate general Jubal Early abandons Winchester, Virginia Cold War 1984 Reagan jokes about bombing Russia Crime 1980 Carol Bundy confesses her connection to the "Sunset Slayer" Middle East 1952 Hussein succeeds to Jordanian throne Vietnam War 1972 Last U.S. ground combat unit departs South Vietnam Westward Expansion 1806 Meriwether Lewis is shot in the leg World War I 1919 Weimar Constitution adopted in Germany World War II 1943 Germans begin to evacuate Sicily

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THIS DAY IN HISTORY August 12 1990 Skeleton of Tyrannosaurus rex discovered On August 12, 1990, fossil hunter Susan Hendrickson discovers three huge bones jutting out of a cliff near Faith, South Dakota. They turn out to be part of the largest-ever Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton ever discovered, a 65 million-year-old specimen dubbed Sue, after its discoverer. Amazingly, Sue's s... read more 19th Century 1898 Armistice ends the Spanish-American War American Revolution 1776 General Washington anticipates British blockade of New York Ancient Egypt 30 B.C. Cleopatra dies by suicide Art, Literature, and Film History 1939 "The Wizard of Oz" movie premieres in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin 1964 James Bond creator Ian Fleming dies 2014 Hollywood icon Lauren Bacall dies Colonial America 1676 King Philip's War ends Crime 1964 Great Train robber escapes from prison Natural Disasters & Environment 1985 JAL flight 123 crashes into Mount Otsuka 2000 Russian sub, the "Kursk," sinks with 118 onboard Sports 1973 American golfer Jack Nicklaus sets title record World War II 1938 Hitler encourages Germans to have multiple children with the Mother's Cross 1941 FDR and Churchill meet on ship, map out Atlantic Charter

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THIS DAY IN HISTORY August 13 1961 Berlin is divided Shortly after midnight on this day in 1961, East German soldiers begin laying down barbed wire and bricks as a barrier between Soviet-controlled East Berlin and the democratic western section of the city. After World War II, defeated Germany was divided into Soviet, American, British and French zone... read more   The Mega-Brands That Built America A new episode of The Mega-Brands That Built America premieres Sunday, August 13 at 9/8c on The HISTORY©️ Channel. Streams the next day in the HISTORY App. Learn More American Revolution 1781 Patriots ambush Loyalists as French set sail Ancient Americas 1521 Aztec capital falls to Cortés Art, Literature, and Film History 1952 "Hound Dog" is recorded for the first time by Big Mama Thornton 1982 "Fast Times at Ridgemont High" debuts Cold War 1948 Record day for the Berlin Airlift Crime 1961 Yosemite killer Cary Stayner born Inventions & Science 1878 First victim of Memphis yellow fever epidemic dies 1902 Rotary engine inventor Felix Wankel born Latin America 1926 Fidel Castro born Sports 1995 New York Yankees star Mickey Mantle dies U.S. Presidents 1981 Reagan signs Economic Recovery Tax Act (ERTA)

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THIS DAY IN HISTORY August 14 1945 Japan's surrender made public In what later became known as Victory Day, an official announcement of Japan’s unconditional surrender to the Allies is made public to the world on August 14, 1945. Japan formally surrendered in writing two weeks later, on September 2, 1945. Even though Japan’s War Council, urged by Emperor Hirohito, had already submitted a declaration of surrender to the A... read more 21st Century 2003 Blackout hits Northeast United States Art, Literature, and Film History 1985 Michael Jackson takes control of the Beatles' publishing rights Crime 1751 A daughter poisons her father 1994 The terrorist known as Carlos the Jackal is captured Exploration 1784 Russians settle Alaska Sports 1971 Pitching ace Bob Gibson throws first no-hitter U.S. Presidents 1935 FDR signs Social Security Act World War I 1917 China declares war on Germany

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THIS DAY IN HISTORY August 15 1969 Woodstock festival opens in Bethel, New York On August 15, 1969, the Woodstock music festival opens on a patch of farmland in White Lake, a hamlet in the upstate New York town of Bethel. Promoters John Roberts, Joel Rosenman, Artie Kornfield and Michael Lang originally envisioned the festival as a way to raise funds to build a recording studio... read more 21st CENTURY 2021 Kabul falls to the Taliban after U.S. withdrawal American Revolution 1780 "Swamp Fox" routs Loyalists while Gates' men fall ill Art, Literature, and Film History 1979 "Apocalypse Now" released in theaters Cold War 1961 Berlin Wall built Crime 2006 Wife of slain minister released from jail Great Britain 1057 King Macbeth is killed by Malcolm Canmore Inventions & Science 1899 Henry Ford leaves Edison to start automobile company Landmarks 1914 Panama Canal open to traffic Middle East 1947 India and Pakistan win independence Vietnam War 1968 Heavy fighting erupts in and around the DMZ World War I 1914 Japan gives ultimatum to Germany

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THIS DAY IN HISTORY August 16 1896 Gold discovered in the Yukon While salmon fishing near the Klondike River in Canada's Yukon Territory on August 16, 1896, George Carmack reportedly spots nuggets of gold in a creek bed. His lucky discovery sparks the last great gold rush in the American West. Hoping to cash in on reported gold strikes in Alaska, Carmack had tra... read more 1980s 1987 Plane crashes into highway, killing 156 Art, Literature, and Film History 1974 The Ramones play their first public gig at CBGB in downtown Manhattan 1977 Elvis Presley dies Crime 1984 Los Angeles jury clears John Z. DeLorean of drug charges Sports 1920 MLB player hit in head by pitch, dies next day 1954 "Sports Illustrated" magazine debuts 1948 Babe Ruth dies 2009 Usain Bolt sets 100-meter dash world record U.S. Presidents 1841 President Tyler is burned in effigy outside White House Vietnam War 1967 Gulf of Tonkin Resolution is challenged in Senate War of 1812 1812 U.S. surrenders Fort Detroit to the British World War II 1945 Senior U.S. POW is released

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THIS DAY IN HISTORY August 17 1969 Woodstock Music Festival concludes On August 17, 1969, one of the grooviest events in all of music history—the Woodstock Music & Art Fair—draws to a close after three days of peace, love and rock 'n' roll in upstate New York. Conceived as "Three Days of Peace and Music," Woodstock was a product of a partnership between ... read more Black History 1968 The first Miss Black America pageant takes place NATIVE AMERICAN HISTORY 1862 Dakota uprising begins in Minnesota Cold War 1962 East Germans kill man trying to cross Berlin Wall Exploration 1978 Balloon crosses the Atlantic Holocaust 1987 Rudolf Hess, Hitler's last living henchman, dies Sports 1957 Foul balls batter unlucky Philadelphia Phillies fan U.S. Presidents 1998 President Clinton testifies before grand jury Westward Expansion 1877 Billy the Kid kills his first man World War II 1943 General George S. Patton wins race to Messina

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THIS DAY IN HISTORY August 18

1991 Soviet hard-liners launch coup against Gorbachev On August 18, 1991, Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev is placed under house arrest during a coup by high-ranking members of his own government, military and police forces. Since becoming secretary of the Communist Party in 1985 and president of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) in 1988... read more

Ancient China 1227 Genghis Khan dies

Art, Literature, and Film History 1958 Vladimir Nabokov's "Lolita" is published in the U.S.

Colonial America 1590 Roanoke Colony deserted

Crime 1988 A Seattle judge involved in a sex scandal dies by suicide

Natural Disasters & Environment 1931 Yangtze River peaks in China

Sports 1992 Boston Celtics forward Larry Bird hangs it up

U.S. Presidents 1795 George Washington signs Jay Treaty with Britain

Women's History 1920 19th Amendment ratified thanks to one vote

World War II 1941 Hitler suspends euthanasia program

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THIS DAY IN HISTORY August 19 1909 First race is held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway On August 19, 1909, the first race is held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, now the home of the world's most famous motor racing competition, the Indianapolis 500. Built on 328 acres of farmland five miles northwest of Indianapolis, Indiana, the speedway was started by local businessmen as a test... read more Art, Literature, and Film History 1964 The Beatles kick off first U.S. tour at San Francisco's Cow Palace 1993 Kim Basinger and Alec Baldwin marry Cold War 1953 CIA-assisted coup overthrows government of Iran 1960 Captured U.S. spy pilot sentenced in Russia Crime 1991 A Jewish youth is killed by a mob 2011 "West Memphis Three" released from prison after 18 years U.S. Presidents 1946 Bill Clinton is born War of 1812 1812 Old Ironsides earns its name Westward Expansion 1895 John Wesley Hardin killed in Texas World War I 1919 President Wilson appears before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee World War II 1934 Adolf Hitler becomes president of Germany Early U.S. 1791 Benjamin Banneker writes to Thomas Jefferson, urging justice for African Americans

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THIS DAY IN HISTORY August 20 1619 First enslaved Africans arrive in Jamestown, setting the stage for slavery in North America On August 20, 1619, "20 and odd" Angolans, kidnapped by the Portuguese, arrive in the British colony of Virginia and are then bought by English colonists. The arrival of the enslaved Africans in the New World marks a beginning of two and a half centuries of slavery in North A... read more   761st Tank Battalion: The Original Black Panthers Featuring Academy Award-winning actor Morgan Freeman, 761st Tank Battalion: The Original Black Panthers will tell the true story of the 761st Tank Battalion, the first Black tank unit to serve in combat during WWII. Premieres August 20 at 8/7c on The HISTORY® Channel. Streams the next day in the HISTORY App. Find Out More Art, Literature, and Film History 1918 "Valley of the Dolls" author Jacqueline Susann born Civil War 1862 Horace Greeley's "The Prayer of Twenty Millions" is published Cold War 1968 Soviets invade Czechoslovakia Crime 1989 The Menendez brothers murder their parents Inventions & Science 1911 First around-the-world telegram sent, 66 years before Voyager II launch Mexico 1940 Russian revolutionary Leon Trotsky assassinated in Mexico Middle East 1982 U.S. Marines deployed to Lebanon Space Exploration 1975 Viking 1 launched to Mars Sports 1920 Professional football is born 1945 17-year-old becomes youngest to hit MLB home run U.S. Presidents 1833 Benjamin Harrison is born United States 1794 Battle of Fallen Timbers Vietnam War 1954 United States decides to support Ngo Dinh Diem Westward Expansion 1804 Corps of Discovery suffers its only death

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THIS DAY IN HISTORY August 21 1959 Hawaii becomes 50th state The modern United States receives its crowning star when President Dwight D. Eisenhower signs a proclamation admitting Hawaii into the Union as the 50th state. The president also issued an order for an American flag featuring 50 stars arranged in staggered rows: five six-star rows and four five-star... read more 1980s 1980 People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) is founded Africa 1961 Jomo Kenyatta, Kenyan independence leader, is freed from prison American Revolution 1754 Bloody Ban Tarleton born in Britain Art, Literature, and Film History 1920 Christopher Robin's birthday Civil War 1863 Guerillas massacre residents of Lawrence, Kansas Cold War 1991 Attempted coup against Gorbachev collapses Crime 1911 Theft of "Mona Lisa" is discovered Inventions & Science 1897 Olds Motor Works founded Natural Disasters & Environment 1986 Gas cloud kills Cameroon villagers Slavery 1831 Nat Turner launches massive insurrection in Virginia Sports 2004 Michael Phelps wins eighth medal U.S. Government 1974 The Equal Educational Opportunities Act takes effect U.S. Politics 1858 Lincoln-Douglas debates begin Vietnam War 1971 Antiwar protestors raid draft offices World War II 1944 The seeds of the United Nations are planted

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THIS DAY IN HISTORY August 22

1950 Althea Gibson becomes first African American on U.S. tennis tour On August 22, 1950, officials of the United States Lawn Tennis Association (USLTA) accept Althea Gibson into their annual championship at Forest Hills, New York, making her the first African American player to compete in a U.S. national tennis competition. Growing up in Harlem, the young Gibson was ... read more

19th Century 1851 U.S. wins first America's Cup 1864 International Red Cross founded

American Revolution 1776 Redcoats land at Long Island

Art, Literature, and Film History 1935 Pulitzer Prize-winning author Annie Proulx is born 1969 Zager and Evans end a six-week run at #1 with their smash-hit "In The Year 2525 (Exordium & Terminus)"

Civil War 1862 President Lincoln replies to Horace Greeley

Cold War 1968 Czechs protest against Soviet invasion

Crime 1922 Michael Collins assassinated 1933 The Barker clan kills an officer in their fruitless robbery 1992 Shootings at Ruby Ridge

Great Britain 1485 Battle of Bosworth Field

Inventions & Science 1962 Citroen helps de Gaulle survive assassination attempt

Sports 1989 Nolan Ryan registers 5,000th strikeout

Vietnam War 1972 Demonstrators disrupt Republican National Convention in Miami Beach

World War II 1944 Romania occupied by Soviet troops