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...
1972: Congress Passes Equal Rights Amendment
On March 22, 1972, the Senate approved the Equal Rights Amendment, which banned discrimination on the basis of sex. The amendment fell three states...
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...
1962: Cuban Missile Crisis Begins
On Oct. 14, 1962, a United States spy plane spotted missile bases under construction in Cuba, touching off the two-week Cuban Missile Crisis.
Two Weeks...
1960: Greensboro Lunch Counter Sit-ins Begin
On February 1, 1960, four black college students refused to leave a lunch counter where they were denied service, sparking a wave of sit-in...
1937: Gas Leak Causes New London School Explosion
On March 18, 1937, the worst school disaster in American history occurred when a gas explosion killed nearly 300 schoolchildren in Texas.
Gas Explosion Destroys...
1962: Soviets Release U-2 Pilot Francis Gary Powers
On February 10, 1962, U-2 spy plane pilot Francis Gary Powers was returned to the United States in a prisoner exchange. Powers had been...
1920: 19th Amendment Gives Women Right to Vote
On Aug. 18, 1920, the 19th Amendment was ratified after decades of struggle by women’s rights advocates, bringing a successful end to the U.S....
1981: John Hinckley Shoots President Reagan and James Brady
On March 30, 1981, President Ronald Reagan was shot in the chest by John Hinckley Jr., a college dropout hoping to impress actress Jodie...
