Events

• Michelangelo’s David statue was unveiled in Florence, Italy– 1504
• The first permanent settlement in what is now the United States was established at St. Augustine, Florida, by Don Pedro Menendez de Aviles– 1565
• Don Pedro Menéndez de Avilés founded what became St. Augustine, Florida– 1565
• The steamer Lady Elgin collided with the schooner Augusta on Lake Michigan– 1860
• The eastern and western lines of the Northern Pacific Railway were joined in Gold Creek, Montana– 1883
• Francis Bellamy’s Pledge of Allegiance first published, in The Youth’s Companion– 1892
• Margaret Gorman of Washington, D.C., became the first Miss America– 1921
• Cruise ship S.S. Morro Castle burned near Asbury Park, New Jersey– 1934
• Percy Saltzman became the first meteorologist to appear on Canadian television. Known for his entertaining presentations, Percy wrote vigorously on a chalkboard map while reporting on air and ended each broadcast by tossing and catching his chalk.– 1952
• Original Star Trek series debuted on television– 1966
• John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts made its public debut, Washington, D.C.– 1971
• Stunt motorcyclist Evel Knievel made a failed attempt to jump the Snake River canyon in Idaho. He was propelled by a red, white and blue rocket-powered motorcycle, designed by rocket scientist Robert Truax.– 1974
• The Genesis return capsule, which had collected solar wind atoms in fragile disks, crashed in the desert after its parachutes failed to deploy– 2004
• A rare black rhino was born in Pittsburgh Zoo, Pennsylvania– 2012