Today in 1619, the first known Africans were brought by the Dutch to the colony of Jamestown, Virginia. They were then sold or traded into slavery.
Today in 1866, President Andrew Johnson formally declared the American Civil War as over.
Today in 1908, America's Great White Fleet arrived in Sydney, Australia – and they were greeted with a tremendous welcome; 221 American sailors desert to remain in Australia.
Today in 1920,the National Football League was formed in Canton, Ohio. Canton is now the home of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Today in 1979, swimmer Diana Nyad succeeded in her third attempt at swimming from the Bahamas to Florida.
Today in 1996, President Clinton approved the first minimum-wage increase in five years, raising the hourly minimum by 90-cents to $5.15-per-hour over 13 months.
Today in 1998, Monica Lewinsky went before a grand jury for a second round of explicit testimony about her White House trysts with President Clinton.
Today in 1998, retaliating 13 days after the deadly embassy bombings in East Africa, US forces launched cruise missile strikes against alleged terrorist camps in Afghanistan and what was described as a chemical plant in Sudan under the codename Operation Infinite Reach.
Today in 1999, in a highly unusual move, the CIA pulled the security clearances for former Director John Deutch for keeping secret files on an unsecured home computer.
Today in 2000, Tiger Woods won the PGA Championship in a playoff over Bob May, becoming the first player since Ben Hogan in 1953 to win three majors in one year. Woods, winner of four of the last five majors (at that point), won his first in a playoff. He became the first player to repeat as PGA champion since Denny Shute in 1937. Woods, with an 18-under 270, holds the scoring record in relation to par in every major championship.
Today in 2015, 30 students at West Point Military Academy were injured in a mass pillow fight.
Today in 2018, Pope Francis released a letter to all Catholics condemning sexual abuse atrocities and clerical cover-ups "We showed no care for the little ones; we abandoned them."