1868, the Fourteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, guaranteeing due process of law and citizenship to blacks, was ratified.
1877, the All England Croquet and Lawn Tennis Club began its first lawn tennis tournament at Wimbledon. Twenty-one amateurs played in the Gentlemen’s Singles tournament, the only event at the first Wimbledon.
1893, African-American Dr. Daniel Hale Williams performed the world’s first successful open heart surgery.
1896, William Jennings Bryan caused a sensation at the Democratic National Convention with his famous speech denouncing supporters of the gold standard. He said, “You shall not crucify mankind on a cross of gold.”
1943, American, Canadian and British forces invaded Sicily during World War Two.
1947, the engagement of Britain’s Princess Elizabeth, the future Queen, to Lt. Philip Mountbatten was announced. They married that November.
1955, “(We’re Gonna) Rock Around The Clock” by Bill Haley and His Comets peaked at Number One on the pop singles chart and stayed there for eight weeks. It was the first rock ‘n roll record to hit Number One on the Billboard charts.
1956, the music dance show Bandstand, hosted by Dick Clark, debuted on a Philadelphia TV station. One year later, it went national as American Bandstand on ABC, where it aired for three decades.
1986, the Attorney General’s Commission on Pornography released the final draft of its report, which linked hard-core porn to sex crimes.
1992, Democratic presidential candidate Bill Clinton chose Tennessee Senator Al Gore to be his vice presidential running mate.
1997, heavyweight boxer Mike Tyson was banned from the ring and fined $3 million for biting opponentEvander Holyfield’s ear during a bout.
2002 Actor Rod Steiger (On The Waterfront, In The Heat Of The Night, The Amityville Horror, Mars Attacks!, The Hurricane) dies at age 77.