Today in 1893, the New York stock market crashed. The resulting depression lasted until 1897.
Today in 1950, North Korean troops reached Seoul, with the UN asking members to aid South Korea. Harry Truman then ordered US Air Force & Navy into Korean conflict.
Today in 1973,White House Counsel John Dean admitted that U.S. President Nixon took part in the Watergate cover-up. Along the way, he told the Senate Watergate Committee about an "enemies list" that was kept by the Nixon White House.
Today in 1975, Lee Trevino, Bobby Nicholas, and Jerry Heard were struck by lightning during the second round of the Western Open in Chicago. Before the disaster, the three had won a total of 34 tournaments. Trevino sustained spinal injuries which hampered him for the rest of his playing career – and he says today that even a flashbulb will shake him up.
Today in 1985, the legendary Route 66, which originally stretched from Chicago to Santa Monica, California, passed into history as officials decertified the road.
Today in 1990, NASA announced that a flaw in the orbiting Hubble Space Telescope was preventing the instrument from achieving optimum focus.
Today in 1995, Hugh Grant was caught in a parked car on a side street in Los Angeles with Divine Brown, a Los Angeles prostitute. While the incident caused an international scandal – and problems at home with his then-girlfriend Elizabeth Hurley – Grant publicly faced up to the situation two weeks later with an appearance on NBC’s “Tonight Show with Jay Leno.”
Today in 1995,in a 6-to-3 ruling, the Supreme Court decreed that public schools can require drug tests for its athletes.
Today in 1995, the space shuttle, "Atlantis," blasted off on a historic flight to link up with Russia's space station "Mir" and bring home American astronaut Norman Thagard.
Today in 1995, the “San Francisco Chronicle” received a message from the Unabomber threatening to blow up a plane by the July Fourth weekend. The Unabomber later called the threat a prank.
Today in 1996, Dallas police officer Johnnie Hernandez was charged with trying to hire a hit man to kill football star Michael Irvin. Hernandez later pleaded guilty to solicitation of capital murder and was sentenced to two, six-year prison sentences and fines.
Today in 2000, House Republicans cut a deal to allow direct sales of U-S food to Cuba for the first time in four decades.
Today in 2005, a dinosaur track roughly 70-million-years-old was discovered in Alaska’s Denali National Park near Igloo Creek. The fossil, a three-toed Hadrosaur track, was he first evidence of dinosaurs in Denali National Park.
Today in 2016, the Supreme Court struck down a Texas law restricting abortion 5-3 with the Whole Woman’s Health v. Hellerstedt decision. At issue? Texas was set to require clinics that provide abortions to have surgical facilities and doctors to have admitting privileges at a nearby hospital. The move would have closed many clinics and reduced availability of abortion in the Lone Star State – something the court ruled the law violated the Constitution.
Today in 2017, Mark Zuckerberg announced that Facebook had reached 2-billion monthly users.
Today in 2017, Serena Williams posed pregnant and nude for the cover of "Vanity Fair."
Today in 2017, the Petya malware cyber-attack affected companies in more than 64 countries.
Today in 2019, the Supreme Court ruled the Constitution doesn't prohibit partisan gerrymandering, allowing a ruling party to redraw electoral boundaries.