Today in 1844, Charles Goodyear patented his rubber strengthening process. But despite the success of the process, Goodyear died penniless.
Today in 1877, Henry O. Flipper became the first African-American to graduate from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.
Today in 1958, the last Packard was built. For the make's final two model years (1957-58), the cars were no more than re-labeled Studebakers. Packard and Studebaker had merged about four years before.
Today in 1992, the world laughed again at Vice President Dan Quayle, who told a New York elementary school class that potato was spelled “potatoe.”
Today in 1995, at the O.J. Simpson murder trial, Simpson struggled to put on a pair of gloves that prosecutors said were worn the night Simpson's ex-wife, Nicole, and her friend, Ronald Goldman, were murdered.
Today in 2000, Denis Savard, Joe Mullen and Walter L. Bush Jr. were selected to the Hockey Hall of Fame.
Today in 2012, an Apple I computer sold for a record $374,500.
Today in 2014, legendary radio host Casey Kasem passed away at the age of 82. Sadly, the years of fierce battling between Kasem’s children and his wife, Jean, didn’t end. In fact, the animosity saw Jean spirit Casey away to Norway for burial. Lawsuits continued over just about everything between them – finally ending in 2019.
Today in 2015, Donald Trump officially launched his campaign for president.
Today in 2015, remains of a 2,000-year-old woman dubbed "the sleeping beauty" were announced as discovered in Northern Ethiopia from ancient kingdom of Aksum.
Today in 2017, a new record was set for price of a parking lot in Hong Kong…$664,000. In June 2018, the single parking space Hong Kong couple had purchased in 2017 for $433,000, was flipped for $760,000 (in just nine-months time). Still, it doesn't quite top the ticket price for most expensive parking space in the world, with spots in Manhattan offered for $1 million – but those were far larger, at around 300 square feet apiece, compared to under 150-square feet for the Hong Kong space.
Today in 2018, former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort was jailed to await two criminal trials as a federal judge revoked his house arrest over allegations of witness tampering in special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation. (Manafort would later be sentenced to more than seven years in prison on federal charges.)
Today in 2019, a baseball jersey belonging to Babe Ruth became the most expensive sports memorabilia ever sold when a bidder shelled out $5.64-million at an auction in New York.
Today in 2020, in a landmark decision, the US Supreme Court ruled 6-3 that gay and transgender workers cannot be discriminated against in the workplace.