Today in 1792, President George Washington signed the Postal Service Act thereby establishing the U.S. Post Office.
Today in 1933, US House of Representatives completed congressional action to repeal Prohibition.
Today in 1952, Emmett L. Ashford became the first Black umpire in organized baseball – as he became authorized as a substitute in the Southwestern International League. Fast forward to April 1966, and he debuted in Major League Baseball as the first African American ump in the majors.
Today in 1952, American alpine skier Andrea Mead-Lawrence was only multi-gold medalist at the Oslo Winter Olympics when she won the slalom, after taking out the inaugural giant slalom.
Today in 1962, John Glenn became the first American to orbit the earth in space, aboard the "Friendship 7." He made three orbits in five hours, for a total of 81,000 miles.
Today in 1965, Ranger 8 crashed on the moon after sending back thousands of pictures of its surface.
Today in 1986, Mike Tyson sexually harassed a woman in Albany, New York – it was the first in a string of incidents over the ensuing years, which culminated in the 1991 rape of a a Miss Black America contestant.
Today in 1987, a bomb exploded in a computer store in Salt Lake City, Utah – the blast was blamed on the Unabomber.
Today in 1988, American figure skater Brian Boitano won a gold medal in the men's competition at the Winter Olympic Games in Calgary, Canada, with Brian Orser of Canada placing second.
Today in 1998, American Tara Lipinski won the ladies' figure skating title at Nagano, becoming the youngest gold medalist in Winter Olympics history – at the age of 15. Michelle Kwan won the silver at those game.
Today in 2003, 100 people were killed and 300 were injured in West Warwick, Rhode Island, when fire destroyed The Station nightclub. The fire started with sparks from a pyrotechnic display being used by Great White. Ty Longley, guitarist for Great White, was one of the victims in the fire.
Today in 2013, Kepler-37b, the smallest known exoplanet, was revealed as part of a newly discovered planetary system.
Today in 2021, President Joe Biden declared a major disaster in Texas as state struggles to cope with aftermath of a crippling winter storm.