- English explorer Henry Hudson sailed down what is now known as the Hudson River.
In 1814 - During the War of 1812, the Battle of North Point was fought in Maryland.
In 1866 - "The Black Crook" opened in New York City. It was the first American burlesque show.
In 1873 - The first practical typewriter was sold to customers.
In 1878 - Patent litigation involving the Bell Telephone Company against Western Union Telegraph Company and Elisha Gray began. The issues were over various telephone patents.
In 1914 - The first battle of Marne ended when the allied forces stopped the German offensive in France.
In 1916 - Adelina and August Van Buren finished the first successful transcontinental motorcycle tour to be attempted by two women. They started in New York City on July 5, 1916.
In 1918 - During World War I, At the Battle of St. Mihiel, U.S. Army personnel operate tanks for the first time. The tanks were French-built.
In 1922 - The Episcopal Church removed the word "Obey" from the bride's section of wedding vows.
In 1928 - Katharine Hepburn made her stage debut in the play "The Czarina." Four years later she made her film debut in "A Bill of Divorcement."
In 1938 - In a speech, demanded self-determination for the Sudeten Germans in Czechoslovakia.
In 1940 - The Lascaux paintings were discovered in France. The cave paintings were 17,000 years old and were some of the best examples of art from the Paleolithic period.
In 1943 - During World War II, Benito Mussolini was taken by German paratroopers from the Italian government that was holding him.
In 1944 - U.S. Army troops entered Germany, near Trier, for the first time during World War II.
In 1953 - U.S. Senator John F. Kennedy married Jacqueline Lee Bouvier.
Nikita Krushchev was elected as the first secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union.
In 1954 - "Lassie" made its television debut on CBS. The last show aired on September 12, 1971.
In 1963 - The last episode of "Leave it to Beaver" was aired. The show had debuted on October 4, 1957.
In 1966 - "Family Affair" premiered on CBS television.
In 1974 - Violence occurred on the opening day of classes in Boston, MA, due opposition to court-ordered school "busing."
Emperor Haile Selassie was taken out of power by Ethiopia's military after ruling for 58 years.
In 1977 - South African anti-apartheid activist Stephen Biko died at the age of 30. The student leader died while in police custody which triggered an international outcry.
In 1979 - Carl Yastrzemski of the Boston Red Sox became the first American League player to get 3,000 career hits and 400 career home runs.
In 1983 - Arnold Schwarzenegger became a U.S. citizen. He had emigrated from Austria 14 years earlier.
In 1984 - Michael Jordan signed a seven-year contract to play basketball with the Chicago Bulls.
Dwight Gooden (New York) Mets set a rookie strikeout record with his 251st strikeout of the season.
In 1991 - The space shuttle Discovery took off on a mission to deploy an observatory that was to study the Earth's ozone layer.
In 1992 - Police in Peru captured Shining Path founder Abimael Guzman.
Dr. Mae Carol Jemison became the first African-American woman in space. She was the payload specialist aboard the space shuttle Endeavor. Also onboard were Mission Specialist N. Jan Davis and Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Mark C. Lee. They were the first married couple to fly together in space. And, Mamoru Mohri became the first Japanese person to fly into space.
In 2009 - Steve Jobs announced that Apple's iTunes had 88% of the legal U.S. music download market.
MUSIC HISTORY
1940 - Johnny Longs orchestra recorded the classic, "A Shanty in Old Shanty Town."
1953 - Luigi Vena sang "Ave Maria" at the wedding of U.S. Senator John F. Kennedy and Jacqueline Lee Bouvier.
1966 - ABC-TV's "The Roger Miller Show" premiered.
The Beatles received a gold record for "Yellow Submarine."
Today in Beatles History - Beatles apparel and gear
The Monkees TV show premiered on NBC.
1970 - "Josie and the Pussycats," the cartoon, debuted on CBS.
"Fire and Rain" by James Taylor was released. It was his first single.
1987 - Morrissey left The Smiths for a solo career.
1998 - A concert by Shania Twain was televised live on DirecTV. It was the first time direct broadcast had been used for a country star.
Vince Gill made his 100th appearance on the Grand Ole Opry.
2000 - The family of Jimi Hendrix released 56 rare tracks in a 4-CD boxed set, "The Jimi Hendrix Experience."
BORN ON THIS DAY
Dickie Moore 1925
Darren E. Burrows 1966
Paul Walker 1973
