1620 – Mayflower Compact signed by Pilgrims at Cape Cod.
1789 – North Carolina ratifies constitution, becomes 12th US state.
1852 – Duke University founded in 1838 as Union Institute chartered as Normal College.
1865 – Shaw University forms in Raleigh, NC.
1871 – Moses F. Gale patents a cigar lighter.
1877 – Tom Edison announces his “talking machine” invention (phonograph) – first machine to play and record sound.
1922 – Rebecca L. Felton (Ga) sworn in as first female US Senator.
1942 – Tweety Bird, aka Tweety Pie, debuts in “Tale of Two Kitties.”
1952 – 1st US postage stamp in 2 colors (rotary process) introduced.
1963 – US President John F. Kennedy flies to Texas (assassinated the next day).
1967 – Vietnam War: American General William Westmoreland tells news reporters: “I am absolutely certain that whereas in 1965 the enemy was winning, today he is certainly losing.”
1973 – US President Richard Nixon’s attorney, J. Fred Buzhardt, reveals presence of 18 1/2 minute gap in a White House tape recording related to Watergate.
1977 – First flight of Concorde (London to New York).
1980 – Dallas’ “Who Shot JR?” episode (Kristen) gets a 53.3 rating (83 million) in the US.
1980 – Fire at MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas kills 84.
1981 – Olivia Newton-John’s “Physical” single goes #1 & stays for 10 weeks.
1989 – Law banning smoking on most domestic flights signed by US President George H.W. Bush.
1992 – Oregon Sen. Bob Packwood issues apology for unwelcome sexual advances.
1995 – Dow Jones closes above 5,000 for 1st time.
2004 – 56th NASCAR Sprint Cup: Kurt Busch wins.
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