On this date
In 1782, Congress approved the Great Seal of the United States, featuring the emblem of the bald eagle.
In 1837, Queen Victoria acceded to the British throne following the death of her uncle, King William IV.
In 1893, a jury in New Bedford, Mass., found Lizzie Borden not guilty of the ax murders of her father and stepmother.
In 1921, U.S. Rep. Alice Mary Robertson (R-Okla.) became the first woman to preside over a session of the House of Representatives.
In 1947, President Harry S. Truman vetoed the TaftHartley Act, which was designed to restrict the power of labor unions, but had his veto overridden by Congress.
Also that day: Gangster Benjamin “Bugsy” Siegel was shot dead at the Beverly Hills, Calif., home of his girlfriend, Virginia Hill, apparently at the order of mob associates.
In 1966, the Beatles album “Yesterday and Today” was released by Capitol Records, initially with its notorious “butcher” cover photo which ended up being replaced.
In 1988, the U.S. Supreme Court unanimously upheld a New York City law making it illegal for private clubs with more than 400 members to exclude women and minorities.
Ten years ago: For the second time, President George W. Bush vetoed an embryonic stem cell bill as he urged scientists toward what he termed “ethically responsible” research.
Five years ago: Painter and sketch artist LeRoy Neiman, best known for his works depicting the world’s biggest sporting and leisure events, died in New York at age 91.
One year ago: The U.S. Supreme Court bolstered police powers, ruling 5-3 that evidence of a crime in some cases may be used against a defendant even if the police did something wrong or illegal in obtaining it.