April 9th
Today in 1768,John Hancock refuses to allow two British customs agents to go below deck of his ship, considered by some to be the first act of physical resistance to British authority in the colonies.
Today in 1865,Confederate General Robert E. Lee surrendered his army to Union General Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox Court House in Virginia.
Today in 1866,President Andrew Johnson’s veto of a Civil Rights Bill was overridden.
Today in 1872, Samuel R Percy patented dried milk.
Today in 1959,NASA announced the names of the first seven "astronauts." Included were Virgil "Gus" Grissom, Scott Carpenter, Alan Shepard, Wally Schirra, John Glenn, Donald Slayton and Gordon Cooper. They became known as the “Mercury 7.”
Today in 1965,the newly built Houston Astrodome featured its first baseball game, an exhibition between the Astros and the New York Yankees. President Lyndon B. Johnson attended the opening of the Astrodome in Houston, Texas. The first indoor stadium was termed the "Eighth Wonder of the World". The Astros won, 2-to-1.
Today in 1968,assassinated civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr.,was buried.
Today in 1985,Tom Seaver broke a major-league baseball record that had been held by Walter Johnson as he started his 15th opening-day game.
Today in 1990,the baseball season opened a week late because of a labor dispute.
Today in 2012,“The Lion King”became the highest-grossing Broadway show after overtaking “The Phantom of the Opera.”
Today in 2017,Twitter footage of passenger forcibly removed from United Airlines flight in Chicago due to an overbooked flight caused national outrage.
Today in 2018, Senator Tammy Duckworth became the first senator to give birth while in office.