Today in 1964, the Ford Motor Company unveiled its new "Mustang" model at the World’s Fair.
Today in 1965, the first “recognized” gay rights protest in the United States took place in demonstration against the government's firing of gay and lesbian civil servants, including iconic activist Frank Kameny. Though that showing outside the White House was the most groundbreaking or memorable picket of its time, it was actually preceded by a protest that happened seven months earlier, on September 19th, 1964 (That was the day Randy Wicker, Jefferson Poland, and eight other members of the Sexual Freedom League, six of them straight, gathered outside the army's induction center at 39 Whitehall Street in New York City to protest the armed forces' anti-gay discrimination and complicity in witch hunts. Their voices were for the most part ignored that day, but we all know that in the end they won: the army's official discrimination against gay and lesbian members ended in 2011). As for Frank, he had been a well-respected astronomer in the U.S. Army's Army Map Service in Washington, D.C. When it was discovered that he was gay – he was fired. He sued to get his job back, of course – and while he was unsuccessful, the proceeding was notable as the first known civil rights claim based on sexual orientation pursued in an American court.
Today in 1969, a jury in Los Angeles convicted Sirhan Sirhan of assassinating Senator Robert F. Kennedy.
Today in 1970, Apollo 13 astronauts James A. Lovell, Fred W. Haise and Jack Swigert splashed down safely in the Pacific, four days after a ruptured oxygen tank crippled their spacecraft while en route to the moon. Check out the video!
Today in 1972, the Boston Marathon allowed women to compete for the first time; Nina Kuscsik was the first officially recognized women’s champion, with a time of 3:10:26.
Today in 1985, the U.S. Postal Service unveiled its new 22-cent, "LOVE" stamp. It went on to become one of the most popular stamps ever offered by the postal service.
Today in 1986, bomb was discovered at London’s Heathrow Airport in the bag of Anne-Marie Murphy, a pregnant Irishwoman about to board an El Al jetliner to Israel; she’d been tricked into carrying the bomb by her Jordanian fiancé, Nezar Hindawi.
Today in 1993, a federal jury in Los Angeles convicted two former police officers, Stacey C. Koon and Officer Laurence M. Powell, of violating the civil rights of motorist Rodney King. Two other officers were acquitted.
Today in 1996, a California jury recommended that Erik and Lyle Menendez be sentenced to life in prison without parole for killing their parents. Their father, Jose Menendez was an entertainment executive. The sons’ defense attorney’s claimed they were abused by their father. They were sentenced accordingly the following July.
Today in 2002, four Canadian Forces soldiers were killed in Afghanistan by friendly fire from two United States Air Force F-16s