1942: Roosevelt Authorizes Internment of Japanese-Americans

On February 19, 1942, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066, which authorized the military to relocate Japanese-Americans from their homes to internment...

1977: 583 Killed as 747s Collide on Tenerife Runway

On March 27, 1977, two 747 airliners collided on a runway in the Canary Island of Tenerife, killing 583 people, more than any plane...

1943: United States Defeats Japan at Guadalcanal

On February 9, 1943, the United States declared victory against Japan in the seven-month World War II campaign for Guadalcanal and nearby islands in...

1770: British Soldiers Kill 5 in “Boston Massacre”

On March 5, 1770, British soldiers stationed in Boston fired on a crowd of hecklers, killing five and wounding others. British Soldiers Open Fire on...

1993: Car Bomb Explodes Beneath World Trade Center

On February 26, 1993, Islamic terrorists detonated a car bomb in the World Trade Center’s basement garage, killing six and injuring more than 1,000. Explosion...

1993: Feds Raid Branch Davidian Compound in Waco

On February 28, 1993, federal agents tried to arrest David Koresh at his Waco, Texas, compound. A gunfight ensued, killing 10 and beginning a...

1960: South African Police Open Fire on Crowd in Sharpeville Massacre

On March 21, 1960, South African police fired into a crowd of black protesters who had surrounded a police station in Sharpeville, killing 69...

1997: Rap Icon Notorious B.I.G. Murdered

On March 9, 1997, Biggie Smalls was killed in a Los Angeles drive-by shooting that may have been linked to rap industry rivalries. His...

1972: Nixon Leaves for China

On February 17, 1972, President Richard Nixon embarked on a diplomatic mission to normalize relations with the People’s Republic of China. Meeting Sets Stage for...

1960: Earthquake Kills Thousands in Morocco

On February 29, 1960, a magnitude 5.7 earthquake struck Agadir, Morocco. The 15-second event killed thousands and leveled parts of the city. It was a...