Today in 1607,the first English colony in America landed at Cape Henry, Virginia.
Today in 1865, Abraham Lincoln's assassin, John Wilkes Booth, was shot and killed by federal soldiers near Bowling Green, Virginia.
Today in 1954, nationwide test of Salk anti-polio vaccine began.
Today in 1968, more than 75 students seized the administration building at Ohio State. Members of the Black Student Union, they staged a “lock-in” – and demanded open off-campus housing, the hiring of more minority faculty, and the teaching of courses on African-American history and culture. University officials brought criminal charges against 34 students who participated in the demonstration – later dropping all charges with the exception of those against the group’s leader, John Evans. He and seven other students were also expelled.
Today in 1986, the Chernobyl nuclear plant in the Ukraine became the site of the worst nuclear power plant accident in history as Reactor 4 exploded. A three-hundred-square-mile area was evacuated in the attempt to protect over 100,000 residents of the area from radiation poisoning. More than 3-million of Ukraine's 50-million people were affected by the disaster. To give you an idea of the emission involved, as the explosion spewed 30 to 40 times the radiation of the bombs that the United States dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki at the end of World War II into the air.
Today in 2000, Vermont Governor Howard Dean signed the nation's first bill allowing same-sex couples to form civil unions.
Today in 2009, the United States declared a public health emergency when health officials feared the beginning of a global pandemic from the Swine Flu after 20 cases were confirmed. Travel bans were issued in other countries or made plans to quarantine air travelers. Top experts of the flu had issues predicting how dangerous the flu strain was. This seemed similar to the Ebola case the struck last year.
Today in 2017, Gift Ngoepe became the first native of the African continent to play in Major League Baseball, as he took the field for the Pittsburgh Pirates. The short stop/Second baseman now plays for the Philadelphia Phillies.
Today in 2017, NASA’s Cassini spacecraft survived an unprecedented trip between Saturn and its rings, sending back amazing pictures to show for it.
Today in 2018, “America’s Dad” was officially no more as Bill Cosby was found guilty of sexual assault in a Pennsylvania court.