1784 – Astronomer – mathematician Friedrich Wilhelm Bessel, first to triangulate the heavens by observing the parallax of the star 61 Cygni, was born in Minden, Germany.
1898 – Poet – novelist Stephen Vincent Benét was born in Bethlehem, PA.
1933 – Aviator Wiley Post ended his first around-the-world flight. Post traveled 15,596 miles in 7 days, 18 hours and 45 minutes aboard the Winnie Mae.
1933 – Caterina Jarboro became the first Black prima donna of an opera company, when she performed Aida with the Chicago Opera Company at the Hippodrome in New York City.
1934 – Gangster John Dillinger was gunned down and mortally wounded by FBI agents at the Biograph Theatre in Chicago, IL.
1975 – Confederate General Robert E. Lee had his U.S. citizenship restored by the U.S. Congress.
Chief Writing Wolf 