On this day for the United States
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Events
- 1807 - The U.S. Congress passes an act to "prohibit the importation of slaves into any port or place within the jurisdiction of the United States... from any foreign kingdom, place, or country."
- 1836 - Texas Revolution: Declaration of independence of the Republic of Texas from Mexico.
- 1861 - Nevada Territory and Dakota Territory are organized as political divisions of the United States.
- 1863 - The United States Congress authorizes track width of 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) for Union Pacific Railroad
- 1867 - The United States Congress passed the 1st Reconstruction Act
- 1877 - U.S. presidential election, 1876: Just two days before inauguration, the U.S. Congress declares Rutherford B. Hayes the winner of the election even though Samuel J. Tilden had won the popular vote on November 7, 1876.
- 1899 - In the state of Washington, USA, Mount Rainier National Park is established.
- 1901 - The United States Congress passes the Platt Amendment, limiting the autonomy of Cuba as a condition for the withdrawal of American troops.
- 1903 - In New York City the Martha Washington Hotel opens, becoming the first hotel exclusively for women.
- 1917 - The enactment of the Jones–Shafroth Act grants Puerto Ricans, United States citizenship.
- 1937 - The Steel Workers Organizing Committee signs a surprise collective bargaining agreement with U.S. Steel, leading to unionization of the United States steel industry.
- 1943 - World War II: Battle of the Bismarck Sea - United States and Australian forces sink Japanese convoy ships.
- 1949 - Captain James Gallagher lands his B-50 Superfortress Lucky Lady II in Fort Worth, Texas after completing the first non-stop around-the-world airplane flight in 94 hours and one minute.
- 1949 - The first automatic street light was installed in New Milford, Conn.
- 1953 - The Academy Awards are first broadcast on television by NBC.
- 1962 - Wilt Chamberlain sets the single-game scoring record in the National Basketball Association by tallying 100 points.
- 1972 - The Pioneer 10 space probe is launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida with a mission to explore the outer planets.
- 1991 - Battle at Rumaila Oil Field brings end to the 1991 Gulf War.
- 1998 - Data sent from the Galileo spacecraft indicates that Jupiter's moon Europa has a liquid ocean under a thick crust of ice.
- 2002 - U.S. invasion of Afghanistan: Operation Anaconda begins, (ending on March 19 after killing 500 Taliban and al-Qaeda fighters, with 11 Western troop fatalities).
- 2004 - Voters in the U.S. state of Georgia vote on a referendum concerning its Confederacy-derived flag.
Births
- 1779 - Joel Roberts Poinsett, American statesman and botanist (d. 1851)
- 1793 - Sam Houston, President of the Republic of Texas (d. 1863)
- 1816 - Alexander H. Bullock, 26th Governor of Massachusetts (d. 1882)
- 1836 - Henry Billings Brown, U.S. Supreme Court Justice (d. 1913)
- 1849 - Robert Means Thompson, U.S. naval officer (d. 1930)
- 1860 - Susanna M. Salter, American politician (d. 1961)
- 1878 - William Kissam Vanderbilt II, member of the Vanderbilt family (d. 1944)
- 1886 - Willis O'Brien, American animator (d. 1962)
- 1902 - Moe Berg, American baseball player and spy (d. 1972)
- 1904 - Dr. Seuss, American author (d. 1991)
- 1909 - Mel Ott, American baseball player (d. 1958)
- 1913 - Mort Cooper, American baseball player (d. 1958)
- 1914 - Martin Ritt, American director (d. 1990)
- 1917 - Jim Konstanty, American baseball player (d. 1976)
- 1917 - David Goodis, American writer (d. 1967)
- 1919 - Jennifer Jones, American actress
- 1923 - Orrin Keepnews, American writer and critic
- 1923 - Robert H. Michel, American politician
- 1926 - Murray Rothbard, American economist (d. 1995)
- 1930 - John Cullum, American actor and singer
- 1931 - Tom Wolfe, American author
- 1938 - Lawrence Payton, American singer and songwriter (Four Tops) (d. 1997)
- 1941 - David Satcher, 16th United States Surgeon General
- 1942 - Peter Guber, American film producer
- 1942 - John Irving, American author
- 1942 - Lou Reed, American singer and guitarist
- 1943 - Peter Straub, American author
- 1948 - Larry Carlton, American guitarist
- 1949 - Gates McFadden, American actress
- 1949 - Eddie Money, American singer
- 1950 - Karen Carpenter, American singer (The Carpenters) (d. 1983)
- 1950 - Jeffrey Chodorow, American restaurateur and financier
- 1952 - Mark Evanier, American writer
- 1952 - Laraine Newman, American actress
- 1953 - Russ Feingold, American politician
- 1955 - Jay Osmond, American musician (The Osmonds)
- 1955 - Ken Salazar, American politician
- 1956 - John Cowsill, American musician (The Cowsills)
- 1962 - Jon Bon Jovi, American musician (Bon Jovi)
- 1962 - Al Del Greco, American football player
- 1962 - Michael Salinger, American Poet
- 1962 - Scott Sterling, American musician (Scott La Rock)
- 1963 - Tuff Hedeman, American bull rider
- 1964 - Megan Leigh, American porn star (d. 1990)
- 1964 - Mike Von Erich, American professional wrestler (d. 1987)
- 1965 - Ron Gant, American baseball player
- 1971 - Elizabeth Lackey, American actress
- 1972 - Amber Smith, American actress and model
- 1976 - Glenn Rubenstein, American writer and journalist
- 1977 - Heather McComb, American actress
- 1977 - Jay Gibbons, American baseball player
- 1980 - Édson Nobre, Angolan footballer
- 1980 - Lance Cade, American professional wrestler
- 1981 - Bryce Dallas Howard, American actress
- 1982 - Ben Roethlisberger, American football player
- 1982 - Corey Webster, American football player
- 1983 - Glen Perkins, American baseball player
- 1985 - Robert Iler, American actor
- 1985 - Reggie Bush, American football player
Deaths
- 1921 - Champ Clark, American politician (b. 1850)
- 1938 - Ben Harney, American composer and pianist (b. 1871)
- 1953 - James Lightbody, American middle distance runner (b. 1882)
- 1958 - Fred Merkle, American baseball figure (b. 1888)
- 1973 - Cleo A. Noel, Jr., US Chief of Mission to Sudan (b. 1918). See 1973 Khartoum diplomatic assassinations.
- 1982 - Philip K. Dick, American author (b. 1928)
- 1987 - Randolph Scott, American actor and director (b. 1898)
- 1992 - Sandy Dennis, American actress (b. 1937)
- 1994 - Anita Morris, American actress (b. 1943)
- 1997 - Bloodshed, American rapper (b. 1975)
- 1999 - David Ackles, American singer and songwriter (b. 1937)
- 2003 - Hank Ballard, American musician (b. 1927)
- 2004 - Mercedes McCambridge, American actress (b. 1916)
- 2004 - Marge Schott, American baseball team owner (b. 1928)
- 2005 - Rick Mahler, American baseball player (b. 1953)
- 2005 - Martin Denny, American musician (b. 1911)
- 2006 - Milton Katims, American violist and conductor (b. 1909)
- 2007 - Clem Labine, American baseball player (b. 1926)
- 2007 - Thomas S. Kleppe, U.S. politician (b. 1919)