EVENTS
- 1652 – In Massachusetts, silversmith John Hull opened the first mint in America, in defiance of English colonial law. The first coin issued was the Pine Tree Shilling, designed by Hull.
- 1793 – The first public zoo opens in Paris, France.
- 1846 – California declares it’s independence from Mexico.
- 1907 – Autochrome Lumière color photography is introduced. The process was invented by the legendary Lumière brothers in 1903. It was the first practical and commercially successful technology for the production of color photos.
- 1935 – Alcoholics Anonymous is founded. Bill Wilson and Dr. Bob Smith established the mutual aid fellowship to battle alcoholism. Today, the organization is active in many countries around the world.
- 1936 – The Russian animation studio Soyuzmultfilm is established. The film studio produced a total of 1530 movies, among them some of the best-known films of the Soviet era, such as Hedgehog in the Fog and The Bremen Town Musicians.
- 1940 – Italy declares war on France and the United Kingdom.
- 1942 – In one of the most infamous single acts of World War II in Europe, all 172 men and boys over age 16 in the Czech village of Lidice were shot by Nazis in reprisal for the assassination of SS leader Reinhard Heydrich. The women were deported to Ravensbrück concentration camp where most died. Ninety young children were sent to the concentration camp at Gneisenau, with some later taken to Nazi orphanages if they were German looking. The village was then completely leveled until not a trace remained.
- 1944 – 15-year old Joe Nuxhall plays in a major-league baseball game.
- 1967 – The Six-Day War ends. Israel and Syria agreed to observe a ceasefire mediated by the United Nations, ending six days of armed conflict. On the previous day, Israel had occupied the Golan Heights.
- 1999 – The Kosovo War ends. Slobodan Milošević, then President of Serbia, agreed to withdraw his troops from the disputed territory following a massive NATO bombing campaign. NATO’s involvement has been criticized for its lack of a U.N. mandate.
BIRTHDAYS
- 1895 – Hattie McDaniel (American actress)
- 1910 – Howlin’ Wolf (American singer-songwriter, musician)
- 1921 – Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh (Greek/English husband of Elizabeth II)
- 1922 – Judy Garland (Actress from The Wizard of Oz)
- 1928 – Maurice Sendak (Author)
- 1951 – Dan Fouts (NFL Football player)
- 1953 – John Edwards (American politician, lawyer)
- 1965 – Elizabeth Hurley (Actress)
- 1973 – Faith Evans (Singer)
- 1982 – Tara Lipinski (Figure Skater)
- 2001 – Sasha Obama (Daughter of President Barack Obama)
DEATHS
- 1926 – Antoni Gaudí (Spanish architect, designed the Park Güell)
- 1934 – Frederick Delius (English composer)
- 1967 – Spencer Tracy (American actor)
- 1982 – Rainer Werner Fassbinder (German actor, director, screenwriter)
- 2004 – Ray Charles (American singer-songwriter, pianist, actor)