Today in 1866, Lucy B. Hobbs became the first woman to graduate from a dental school, the Ohio College of Dental Surgery in Cincinnati. She later became the first woman to earn a doctorate in dentistry, and was a political activist for women’s rights. She wrote: “People were amazed when they learned that a young girl had so far forgotten her womanhood as to want to study dentistry.”
Today in 1878, the first "phone book" was published with fifty names in New Haven, Connecticut. No numbers though, at the time you still had to tell the operator whom you wanted.
Today in 1885, the Washington Monument was dedicated in Washington, D.C.
Today in 1931, Alka Seltzer was first introduced.
Today in 1937, the first automobile/airplane combination was tested in California.
Today in 1965, Malcolm X was shot to death at a New York City rally for his new "Organization of Afro-American Unity." Killed by three gunmen from the Nation of Islam, he was just 39.
Today in 1968, an agreement between baseball players and club owners increased the minimum salary for major-league players to $10,000 a year.
Today in 1971, the National Emergency Center erroneously orders radio and TV stations to go off the air due to a nuclear emergency. The mistake wasn't resolved for 30-minutes.
Today in 1972, Richard Nixon became the first serving U.S. President to visit China.
Today in 1988, televangelist Jimmy Swaggart famously confessed to unspecified "sins" after a week of scathing controversy. It was later revealed he'd been with a New Orleans prostitute for some time. Soon after, he was defrocked.
Today in 1992, Kristi Yamaguchi of the United States won the gold medal in women's figure skating at the Albertville Olympics; Midori Ito of Japan won the silver, Nancy Kerrigan of the US the bronze.
Today in 1995, Chicago stockbroker Steve Fossett became the first person to fly solo across the Pacific Ocean in a balloon. He landed in Leader, Saskatchewan, Canada.
Today in 2000, David Letterman returned to his “Late Night” show about five weeks after having an emergency quintuple heart bypass Looking thinner, but otherwise healthy five weeks after his operation, Letterman reached down twice and touched his toes before his monologue. He promised to show his scar but didn't. "After what I've been through," he said, "I'm just happy to be wearing clothes that open in the front." After the monologue and a surprise visit from Jerry Seinfeld, who dead-panned "I thought you were dead," Letterman became uncharacteristically serious as he brought on stage, one by one, the doctors and nurses involved in his surgery and recovery. Choking up with gratitude, Letterman concluded his introductions by remarking "Five weeks ago, those were the men and women who saved my life."
Today in 2016, at the 58th Daytona 500: Denny Hamlin won the closest finish in race history – by just 0.01s from Martin Truex Jr.
Today in 2018, Winter Olympics: Jessie Diggins and Kikkan Randall became the first Americans in history to win a cross-country gold medal (team sprint).