Today:
1775 – The United States Marine Corps is established by the Continental Congress to serve in the American Revolutionary War.
1793 – The French revolutionary government opens the Louvre as a public museum, showcasing a large collection of artwork for the first time.
1871 – Journalist Henry Morton Stanley finds Scottish missionary and explorer David Livingstone near Lake Tanganyika, famously saying, “Dr. Livingstone, I presume?”
1898 – Wilmington Insurrection: A white supremacist mob overthrows the biracial government in Wilmington, North Carolina, marking a violent coup and resulting in numerous deaths.
1919 – The American Legion holds its first national convention in Minneapolis, Minnesota, promoting veterans’ issues and benefits.
1928 – Hirohito is formally enthroned as Emperor of Japan, marking the beginning of the Shōwa period.
1940 – Walt Disney releases the animated film Fantasia, pushing the boundaries of animation with its ambitious blend of classical music and visual storytelling.
1969 – Sesame Street premieres on public television in the United States, introducing beloved characters like Big Bird, Cookie Monster, and Oscar the Grouch.
1989 – Germans begin tearing down the Berlin Wall, a pivotal moment in the fall of communism in Eastern Europe and the reunification of Germany.
1995 – Nigerian activist and author Ken Saro-Wiwa is executed, sparking international outrage and increasing global awareness of environmental and human rights issues in the Niger Delta.