1993 Confederate Flag Alabama's governor bans the flying of the Confederate battle flag on the state Capitol building after protests from black leaders who viewed it as a symbol of racism.

1992 Rodney King The four white police officers accused of beating King are acquitted. L.A. street riots followed - the worst U.S. riots in 75 years. 51 people were killed, 2,383 were injured, and more than 9,000 were arrested.

1975 Vietnam War - Saigon Embassy Evacuation The American embassy in Saigon, Vietnam is evacuated. 1,373 U.S. citizens and 5,595 Vietnamese and third-country nationals are evacuated to U.S. Navy ships.

1970 Vietnam War - Cambodian Campaign The U.S. and South Vietnam conduct a series of campaigns in eastern Cambodia in an attempt to defeat the People's Army of Vietnam and the Viet Cong.  The three-month operation resulted in the capture of large stores of communist supplies.  Protests to this action led to the Kent State Massacre.

1957 Civil rights bill approved by Congress, protecting voting rights.

1945 World War II The German concentration camp at Dachau is liberated by U.S. troops. Used as a "medical research" center, it is believed that 30,000 people were killed there.

1945 Adolf Hitler The German leader marries his mistress Eva Braun. They reportedly committed suicide together the following day, although their bodies have never been found.

1913 The all-purpose zipper is patented, by Gideon Sundback.

1893 The Liberty Bell arrives in Chicago for the World's Columbian Exposition.

1873 First American railroad coupler is patented, by Eli H. Janney.

1970 Andre Agassi American tennis player, former World #1 player, winner of eight grand slam singles titles.

1958 Michelle Pfeiffer American actress. Film: Scarface (1983), The Fabulous Baker Boys (1989), and Batman Returns (1992, Catwoman).

1957 Timothy Treadwell d. 2003 (Timothy Dexter), American environmentalist, "Grizzly Man." After spending 13 summers with the brown bears in Alaska, he and his girlfriend were killed and partially eaten by one. This was the first fatal bear attack in Katmai National Park history. The film Grizzly Man (2005) documents his work and death with the bears. Writings: Among Grizzlies: Living With Wild Bears in Alaska (1997).

1957 Daniel Day-Lewis English Oscar-winning actor. Film: A Room With a View (1986) and My Left Foot (1989, Oscar).

1954 Jerry Seinfeld American comedian. TV: Seinfeld.

1919 Celeste Holm American actress. TV: Falcon Crest (Anna Rossini).

1915 Donald Mills American singer, with the Mills Brothers, the most popular vocal group of all time.

1909 Tom Ewell d. 1994 (Yewell Tompkins), American actor.  He claimed, that due to a inferiority complex, he never watched any of his movies.  Stage: The Seven Year Itch (1953, Tony Award).  Film: The Seven Year Itch (1955). TV: Baretta (Billy Truman).

1901 Michinomiya Hirohito d. 1989 124th Japanese emperor (1926-89). His reign was designated "Showa" (Enlightened Peace). He was the first Japanese emperor to travel abroad (1971).

1899 Duke Ellington d. 1974 (Edward Kennedy Ellington), American jazz musician. Was awarded (1969) the Presidential Medal of Freedom by Pres. Nixon.

1893 Harold Clayton Urey d. 1981 American chemist. He discovered heavy water (1931), for which he won the 1934 Nobel Prize for Chemistry.

1879 Sir Thomas Beecham d. 1961 British conductor, founded the London Philharmonic orchestra (1932).

1877 Tad Dorgan d. 1929 (Thomas Aloysius Dorgan), cartoonist, creator of Judge Rummy's Court, Silk Hat Harry, and Indoor Sports.

1863 William Randolph Hearst d. 1951 American newspaper publisher, political figure.

1980 Sir Alfred Hitchcock b. 1899 British Oscar-winning director, "The Master of Suspense." Film: Vertigo (1958) and Psycho (1960, with its famous shower scene). TV: Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1955-62). Quote: "Television has brought murder back into the home - where it belongs."

1937 Wallace Hume Carothers b. 1896 American chemist. He invented nylon (1934) while working for the du Pont Company. He also developed neoprene, the first successful synthetic rubber (1931).

1921 Anna Edson Taylor b. 1839 American daredevil. She was the first person to go over Niagara Falls in a barrel and survive (1901). She did it on her 62nd birthday.

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