Today in 1889, William Gray of Hartford, Connecticut, received a patent for a coin-operated telephone.
Today in 1892, the "Baltimore Afro-American" newspaper began publishing. With status country as a black paper profoundly affecting social change on a national scale, there were as many as 13 editions circulated across the country. Today, it has circulation in two cities - Baltimore and Washington DC. It also thrives as the website, Afro.com.
Today in 1914, the first bus line in the U.S. was created when Swedish immigrant Carl Wickman founded what became Greyhound in Hibbong, Minnesota. His first passengers? He transported miners from Hibbing to Alice at 15 cents a ride.
Today in 1961, Berlin was divided as East Germany sealed off the border between the city's eastern and western sectors in order to halt the flight of refugees. Construction of the Berlin Wall was completed…just 24 hours after construction began.
Today in 1998,Switzerland's three largest banks settled claims they'd stolen the assets of Holocaust victims during World War II – to the tune of $1.25-billion.
Today in 2003, Libya agreed to set up a $2.7-billion fund for families of 270 people killed in the 1988 Pan Am bombing.
Today in 2008, American Michael Phelps swam into history as the winningest Olympic athlete ever with his 10th and 11th career gold medals.
Today in 2015, the United States government formally returned Picasso's painting La Coiffeuse, which had been stolen from Paris' National Museum of Modern Art in 2001, to France. How’d we get it? It turned up in Newark, New Jersey in late 2014.
Today in 2016, Michael Phelps ended his career at Rio Olympics winning 4x100 medley relay, his 23rd Gold medal, and became the world's most decorated Olympian.
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