1929— The stock market crashed, thus beginning The Great Depression of the 20th century.

1879 – Using a filament of carbonized thread, Thomas Edison tests the first practical electric incandescent light bulb (it lasted 13½ hours before burning out).

1844 – The Great Anticipation: Millerites, followers of William Miller, anticipate the end of the world in conjunction with the Second Advent of Christ. The following day became known as the Great Disappointment.

1959 – In New York City, the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, opens to the public.

1940 – The first edition of the Ernest Hemingway novel For Whom the Bell Tolls is published.

1967 – The Soviet probe Venera 4 reaches Venus and becomes the first spacecraft to measure the atmosphere of another planet.

1954 – Texas Instruments announces the first Transistor radio.

1851 – Herman Melville's Moby-Dick is first published as The Whale by Richard Bentley of London.

 Steve wrote: 
I was at work, ready to listen to Game 3 of the Series. And now the World Series won't start until next Tuesday. Hmm.
 
By the way, I have 2 copies of the Chronicle and 2 of the Examiner from 25 years ago tomorrow, (heat-sealed in poly bags the next day at work). I was standing in the 7-11 when the delivery guy brought in a bundle of each, very deservedly beaming with pride, and I bought 2 of each, magnanimously leaving the rest for other customers. The next customer bought the entire stack.  

25 years ago today. I was at home in eastern Contra Costa county, standing in my garage and the quake nearly knocked me off my feet.

2012 – The extrasolar planet Alpha Centauri Bb is discovered.

1814 – London Beer Flood occurs in London, killing eight.

1997 – The Cassini probe launches from Cape Canaveral on its way to Saturn.

1956 – Fortran, the first modern computer language, is shared with the coding community for the first time.

The origins of totalitarianism (pdf, epub, mobi)

 Red_Dragon wrote: 
precedent meets irony

 Red_Dragon wrote: 
He drew the short straw.

2003 – Chicago Cubs fan Steve Bartman becomes infamously known as the scapegoat for the Cubs losing game 6 of the 2003 National League Championship Series to the Florida Marlins.

1982 – U.S. President Ronald Reagan proclaims a War on Drugs.

1979 – The first Gay Rights March on Washington, D.C., the National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights, demands "an end to all social, economic, judicial, and legal oppression of lesbian and gay people", and draws 200,000 people.