Today in History

Four Los Angeles police offices are acquitted of charges stemming from the beating of Rodney King. Rioting ensues.

Harold Washington is sworn in as Chicago’s first black mayor.

The U.S. embassy in Vietnam is evacuated as North Vietnamese forces fight their way into Saigon.

Former Japanese leaders are indicted in Tokyo as war criminals.

The Nazi concentration camp of Dachau is liberated by Allied troops.

The film All Quiet on the Western Front, based on Erich Maria Remarque’s novel Im Western Nichts Neues, premiers.

Construction of the Spirit of St. Louis is completed.

Open revolt breaks out in Santa Clara, Cuba.

America’s WWI Ace of Aces, Eddie Rickenbacker, scores his first victory with the help of Captain James Norman Hall.

Irish nationalists surrender to the British in Dublin.

Gideon Sundback of Hoboken patents the all-purpose zipper.

Hirohito, emperor of Japan during and after World War II.

Edward Kennedy “Duke” Ellington, renowned jazz composer and musician.

Sir Thomas Beecham, founder of the London Philharmonic.

Tad Dorgan, cartoonist and columnist.

William Randolph Hearst, American newspaper publisher.

Forts Philip and Jackson surrender to Admiral David Farragut outside New Orleans.

The Maryland House of Delegates votes against seceding from Union.

As the French army races to support them and the Austrian army mobilizes to oppose them, 150,000 Piedmontese troops invade Piedmontese territory.

Austrian troops invade Piedmont.

Yokut Indians repel a second attack by the ‘Petticoat Rangers,’ a band of civilian Indian fighters at Four Creeks, California.

The first edition of Peter Roget’s Thesaurus is published.

Alexander II, Czar of Russia.

Rubber is patented.

Oliver Ellsworth, third Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court.

King Louis XIV of France invades the Netherlands.

The Chinese Ming dynasty occupies Taiwan.

Louis XIII appoints Cardinal Richelieu chief minister of the Royal Council of France.

Joan of Arc leads French forces to victory over English at Orleans.

Qalawun, the Sultan of Egypt, captures Tripoli.