1647 – Massachusetts passes first compulsory school attendance law in the American colonies.
1714 – A highway in Bronx is laid out, later renamed East 223rd Street.
1839 – The Virginia Military Institute is founded in Lexington, Virginia.
1851 – Alvan Clark patents telescope.
1868 – 1st American amateur track & field meet (NYC).
1890 – D. McCree patents portable fire escape.
1909 – Construction of US navy base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, begins.
1925 – Louis Armstrong records 1st of Hot Five & Hot Seven recordings.
1926 – U.S. Route 66 is established.
1933 – Billie Holiday’s second song and first hit, “Riffin’ the Scotch”, is released.
1939 – Kate Smith first sings Irving Berlin’s “God Bless America.”
1940 – Willys unveiled its General Purpose vehicle (“Jeep”).
1947 – “Gentlemen’s Agreement” directed by Elia Karan and starring Gregory Peck and Dorothy McGuire premieres in New York (Best Picture 1948).
1959 – 1st episode of “Rocky & His Friends” airs.
1966 – Methodist Church & Evangelical United Brethren Church unite as United Methodist Church (USA).
1972 – Dow Jones Index moves above 1,000 for 1st time.
1983 – President Reagan became 1st US president to address Japanese legislature.
1997 – CBS News anchor Dan Rather renews his contracts to 2002.
2009 – 43rd Country Music Award Association Award: Taylor Swift & Brad Paisley wins.
2015 – Flawless 12 carat Blue Moon Diamond sells for $48.4 million at auction in Geneva.
About Author
