Today:
475: The Western Roman Empire’s emperor, Julius Nepos, flees Ravenna, and the Roman general Orestes declares his own son Romulus Augustus as emperor.
1189: The Third Crusade begins as the forces of King Philip II of France and Richard I of England begin their journey to the Holy Land.
1609: Henry Hudson discovers Delaware Bay during his exploration of North America.
1830: The first passenger-carrying steam locomotive, “Tom Thumb,” races a horse-drawn carriage but loses the race when a belt slips.
1845: The first issue of “Scientific American” magazine is published.
1898: Caleb Bradham renames his carbonated soft drink “Pepsi-Cola.”
1916: Italy declares war on Germany during World War I.
1955: Emmett Till, a 14-year-old African-American, is murdered in Mississippi, an event that sparks national outrage and becomes a catalyst for the Civil Rights Movement.
1963: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivers his famous “I Have a Dream” speech during the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom.
1990: Iraq declares Kuwait its 19th province, following its invasion of the country earlier that month.