Today in History

Hurricane Jeanne causes severe flooding in Haiti; over 1,000 reported dead.

The first public version of Mozilla Firefox browser released; originally called Phoenix 0.1 its name was changed due to trademark issues with Phoenix Technologies.

Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) detonates 3,700-lb. bomb in Belfast, completely destroying the Northern Ireland forensic laboratory, injuring 20 people and damaging 700 houses.

Gulf Air Flight 771 from Karachi, Pakistan, to Abu Dhabi, UAE, bombed; all 117 aboard die.

Juan Peron is re-elected president of Argentina after being overthrown in 1955.

Soviets sign a pact to send more aid to Hanoi.

William “Willie” McCool, American astronaut; among those killed when Space Shuttle Columbia disintegrates while reentering Earth’s atmosphere (2003).

East German police arrest 400 citizens as U.S. spies.

Richard Nixon responds to charges of a secret slush fund during his ‘Checkers Speech.’

Bruce “The Boss” Springsteen, singer, songwriter, musician (“Born to Run,” “Born in the U.S.A”); his multiple awards include 20 Grammys, two Golden Globes, and an Oscar, the latter for “Streets of Philadelphia” (1994).

Mary Kay Place, Emmy-winning actress (Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman), singer.

The first American dies in Vietnam during the fall of Saigon to French forces.

Julio Iglesia, singer, songwriter with more than 2,600 certified gold and platinum records (“To All the Girls I’ve Loved Before,” “Summer Wind”).

Valentin Corazao, Interim President of Peru (2000-01) after Pres. Alberto Fujimori was removed from office by Congress.

Ahmad Shah, Crown Prince of Afghanistan and heir apparent to the throne.

Ray Charles, rhythm ‘n’ blues piano player and singer.

John Coltrane, influential jazz saxophonist.

Clifford G. Shull, physicist, improved techniques for exploring the atomic structure of matter.

Mack Sennett’s first “Keystone Cop” film debuts, Cohen Collects a Debt.

The Second International Aviation Meet opens in New York.

Louise Nevelson, sculptor.

Emmuska Orczy, baroness and author of The Scarlet Pimpernel.

Confederate and Union forces clash at Mount Jackson, Front Royal and Woodstock in Virginia during the Valley campaign.

Mary Church Terrell, educator and civil rights advocate.

Victoria Claflin Woodhull, the first woman presidential candidate (1872) in the United States.

The Lewis and Clark Expedition arrives back in St. Louis just over three years after its departure.

Lieutenant Zebulon Pike pays $2,000 to buy from the Sioux a 9-square-mile tract at the mouth of the Minnesota River that will be used to establish a military post, Fort Snelling.

British Major General Sir Arthur Wellesley defeats the Marathas at Assaye, India.

William Holmes McGuffey, educator famous for his book Eclectic Readers.

A national plebiscite approves the new French constitution, but so many voters sustain that the results are suspect.

Louis XVI of France declares the Parliament restored.

The American navy under John Paul Jones, commanding from Bonhomme Richard, defeats and captures the British man-of-war Serapis.

The Austrians sign the Treaty of Belgrade after having lost the city to the Turks.

Slaves in Virginia are banned from obtaining their freedom by converting to Christianity.

William of Orange makes his triumphant entry into Brussels, Belgium.

Philip II of Spain gives orders to halt colonizing efforts in Florida.

The Sadians defeat the last of their enemies and establish themselves as rulers of Morocco.

Augustus Caesar, first Roman Emperor, who introduced Pax Romana, the era of peace.