TODAY IN HISTORY

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHT

1905

The U.S. Supreme Court, in Jacobson v. Massachusetts, upheld, 7-2, compulsory vaccination laws intended to protect the public’s health.

ALSO ON THIS DATE

1792

President George Washington signed an act creating the United States Post Office Department.

1839

Congress prohibited dueling in the District of Columbia.

1933

Congress proposed the 21st Amendment to the U.S. Constitution to repeal Prohibition.

1942

Lt. Edward “Butch” O’Hare became the U.S. Navy’s first flying ace of World War II by shooting down five Japanese bombers while defending the aircraft carrier USS Lexington in the South Pacific.

1962

Astronaut John Glenn became the first American to orbit the Earth as he flew aboard Project Mercury’s Friendship 7 spacecraft, which circled the globe three times in a flight lasting 4 hours, 55minutes and 23 seconds before splashing down safely in the Atlantic Ocean 800miles southeast of Bermuda.

1965

America’s Ranger 8 spacecraft crashed on the moon, as planned, after sending back thousands of pictures of the lunar surface.

1987

A bomb left by Unabomber Ted Kaczynski exploded behind a computer store in Salt Lake City, seriously injuring store owner Gary Wright.

1998

Tara Lipinski of the U.S. won the ladies’ figure skating gold medal at the Nagano Olympics; Michelle Kwan won the silver.

1999

Movie reviewer Gene Siskel died at a hospital outside Chicago at age 53.