1989: Exxon Valdez Wreck Causes Massive Oil Spill

On March 24, 1989, the oil tanker Exxon Valdez struck a reef in Alaska’s Prince William Sound, causing 11 million gallons of oil to...

On This Day: Bodies of Three Civil Rights Workers Discovered in Mississippi

On Aug. 4, 1964, the bodies of missing civil rights volunteers Michael Schwerner, James Chaney and Andrew Goodman were discovered in a dam outside...

On This Day: President Nixon Resigns

On Aug. 8, 1974, President Richard Nixon, facing impeachment charges for his role in the Watergate Hotel break-in, announced his resignation. The Watergate Scandal At 2:30...

On This Day: Charles Whitman Carries Out Sniper Attack From University of Texas Tower

Charles Whitman had been a model citizen before the rampage. One of the youngest Boy Scouts ever to earn Eagle Scout honors, he joined...

1887: First Groundhog Day Celebrated in Punxsutawney

On February 2, 1887, Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, celebrated the first official Groundhog Day, a holiday with roots in ancient traditions. The Origins of Groundhog Day On February...