Discover What Happened Today in History
In Chicago, seven members of the North Side Irish gang were murdered by associates of Al Capone's South Side Italian gang, who posed as police officers. This event became a symbol of the extreme violence of the Prohibition-era gang wars.
Alexander Graham Bell filed his patent for the telephone, just hours before his rival Elisha Gray filed a similar caveat. This legal priority was crucial in the subsequent development and commercialization of the telephone.
British explorer Captain James Cook was killed in a confrontation with native Hawaiians at Kealakekua Bay. His voyages had dramatically expanded European knowledge of the Pacific Ocean and its coastlines.
According to tradition, a priest named Valentine was executed in Rome under Emperor Claudius II. His association with love and affection later evolved into the basis for the modern celebration of Valentine's Day.
Jacqueline Kennedy gave a televised tour of the White House to CBS, which was watched by over 80 million people. The broadcast revitalized public interest in the history of the presidency and the White House's historic furnishings.