1787 – First African American Masonic Lodge (African #459) forms Prince Hall, Boston.
1835 – James Gordon Bennett, Sr. publishes the first issue of the New York Herald (price 1 cent)
1837 – John Deere creates the first steel plough.
1851 -Dr. John Gorrie patents a “refrigeration machine”
1896 – 22nd Kentucky Derby: Willie Simms aboard Ben Brush wins in 2:07.75.
1915 – Red Sox Babe Ruth pitching debut & 1st HR, loses to Yanks 4-3 in 15 innings.
1929 – New York to San Francisco footrace begins.
1940 – Pulitzer prize awarded to John Steinbeck for “The Grapes of Wrath”
1941 – At California’s March Field, Bob Hope performs his first USO show.
1957 – Last broadcast of “I Love Lucy” on CBS-TV.
1957 – Pulitzer Prize awarded to John F. Kennedy (Profiles in Courage)
1960 – US President Eisenhower signs Civil Rights Act of 1960.
1973 – Judy Rankin wins LPGA American Defender-Raleigh Golf Classic.
1982 – Seattle Mariner Gaylord Perry becomes 15th pitcher to win 300 games.
1987 – Gary Hart denies affair with model Donna Rice.
1987 – American televangelist Jim Bakker & Rich Dortch dismissed from Assemblies of God.
1994 – US House of Representatives passes the Federal Assault Weapons Ban.
1997 – Michael Jackson & Bee Gees inducted into Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
2002 – Entrepreneur Elon Musk founds SpaceX.
2011 – The US Department of Labor states that 244,000 jobs were created in April, with 235,000 added in February and 221,000 in March, but unemployment continues to grow, reaching 9%.
2013 – Wal-Mart becomes the largest company by revenue on the Fortune 500 list.