2008: Barack Obama is elected the first African American president of the United States. The Democratic senator from Illinois defeated Republican John McCain, with Joe Biden as his running mate. He was inaugurated as the 44th president in January 2009 and went on to serve two terms.
2001:Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone has its world premiere in London. The film was the first adaptation of J.K. Rowling's best-selling fantasy series. Directed by Chris Columbus and starring Daniel Radcliffe as the boy wizard, it launched a franchise of eight films that became one of the most successful in movie history.
1995: Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin is assassinated. He was shot by a Jewish extremist opposed to the Oslo peace process as he left a peace rally in Tel Aviv. A year earlier Rabin had shared the Nobel Peace Prize with Shimon Peres and Yasir Arafat for their work toward Israeli Palestinian peace.
1980: Ronald Reagan is elected the 40th president of the United States. The conservative Republican and former governor of California defeated incumbent Democrat Jimmy Carter in a landslide. He took office in January 1981 and was reelected four years later.
1979: The Iran hostage crisis begins as militants seize the U.S. embassy in Tehran. The takeover was backed by Iran's revolutionary leader, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. Fifty-two Americans were held for 444 days and were finally released on January 20, 1981, minutes after Ronald Reagan was sworn in.
1946: UNESCO is officially established. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization came into being when its constitution took effect. The specialized UN agency, based in Paris, promotes cooperation in education, science, and culture and is known today for its list of World Heritage sites.
1924: Nellie Tayloe Ross of Wyoming becomes the first woman elected governor of a U.S. state. She won a special election held after the death of her husband, Governor William Ross, and took office in January 1925. She later became the first woman to serve as director of the U.S. Mint.
1922: Archaeologist Howard Carter discovers the tomb of King Tutankhamen. The British archaeologist found the first steps leading to the pharaoh's tomb in Egypt's Valley of the Kings, in a search funded by Lord Carnarvon. The nearly intact tomb and its treasures made Tutankhamen the most famous of Egypt's ancient rulers.
1842: Abraham Lincoln marries Mary Todd. The future 16th president, then a young lawyer, wed Todd in Springfield, Illinois. The couple had four sons, only one of whom lived to adulthood.
1791: U.S. forces under General Arthur St. Clair suffer a crushing defeat in the Northwest Territory. The Northwest Indian Confederation, supported by the British and led by Little Turtle and Blue Jacket, routed St. Clair's army near the Wabash River in present-day Ohio. More than 600 soldiers were killed in what remains one of the worst defeats ever suffered by the U.S. Army, and it prompted the first congressional investigation.
Born on This Day
2000: Tyrese Maxey, American basketball player Turns 26. All-Star guard for the Philadelphia 76ers.
1993: Taylor Tomlinson, American comedian Turns 33. Stand-up comic who hosted the late-night CBS show After Midnight.
1988: Dez Bryant, American football player Turns 38. Star wide receiver for the Dallas Cowboys.
1982: Devin Hester, American football player Hall of Fame return specialist for the Chicago Bears, known for his record number of kick and punt return touchdowns.
1981: Vince Wilfork, American football player Nose tackle who won two Super Bowls with the New England Patriots.
1969: Matthew McConaughey, American actor Turns 57. Won an Oscar for Dallas Buyers Club and starred in True Detective and Interstellar.
1969: Sean Combs, American rapper and record producer Turns 57. Founder of Bad Boy Records, known for the hit “I'll Be Missing You.”
1961: Ralph Macchio, American actor Turns 65. Played Daniel LaRusso in The Karate Kid films and the series Cobra Kai.
1961: Jeff Probst, American TV host Turns 65. Longtime host of the reality competition Survivor.
1960: Kathy Griffin, American comedian and actress Emmy-winning comic known for her reality series My Life on the D-List.
1950: Markie Post, American actress Played public defender Christine Sullivan on the sitcom Night Court.
1946: Laura Bush, American first lady Former teacher and librarian who was first lady during the presidency of George W. Bush.
1940: Delbert McClinton, American singer-songwriter Grammy-winning Texas blues and roots rocker known for “Giving It Up for Your Love.”
1937: Loretta Swit, American actress Played Major Margaret “Hot Lips” Houlihan on M*A*S*H, winning two Emmys.
1925: Doris Roberts, American actress Played meddling mom Marie Barone on Everybody Loves Raymond.
1918: Art Carney, American actor Played sewer worker Ed Norton on The Honeymooners and won an Oscar for Harry and Tonto.
1916: Walter Cronkite, American TV news anchor Anchored the CBS Evening News for nearly two decades and was called the most trusted man in America.
1879: Will Rogers, American humorist and actor Cowboy entertainer, newspaper columnist, and film star famous for his folksy wit.
