Discover What Happened Today in History
The Second Boer War began when the South African Republic (Transvaal) and the Orange Free State declared war on the British Empire. The conflict was fought over the British Empire's influence in South Africa and control of the region's rich gold resources.
NASA launched Apollo 7, the first crewed mission of the Apollo program, with astronauts Wally Schirra, Donn Eisele, and Walter Cunningham aboard. This critical test flight proved the capabilities of the Apollo Command and Service Module in Earth orbit, paving the way for the moon landings.
Astronaut Kathryn D. Sullivan, part of the STS-41-G crew aboard the Space Shuttle Challenger, performed a 3.5-hour extravehicular activity (EVA). This made her the first American woman to walk in space, a landmark achievement for women in STEM and space exploration.
NASA launched the Pioneer 1 probe, its first spacecraft, intended to orbit the Moon. Although a rocket malfunction prevented it from reaching the Moon, it achieved a then-record altitude for a human-made object and returned significant data on radiation belts.
NBC's 'Saturday Night Live' (originally titled 'NBC's Saturday Night') debuted with guest host George Carlin and musical guest Billy Preston. The live comedy sketch show, created by Lorne Michaels, revolutionized television comedy and launched numerous iconic careers.