2015The Republic of Ireland, long known as a conservative, predominantly Catholic country, becomes the first nation in the world to legalize gay marriage in a public referendum.
2012The world's tallest tower is opened to the public
2011An EF5 tornado kills at least 158 people in Joplin, Missouri, the largest death toll from a tornado since record-keeping began in 1950.
2010The worst air crash involving a Boeing 737 kills 158
2010Following a 200-year search for the tomb of Polish astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus his remains are reburied in Frombork Cathedral
2004Fahrenheit 9-11, directed by Michael Moore, becomes the first documentary ever to win the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival.
2004An EF4 tornado with a record-setting width of 2.5 miles wipes out Hallam, Nebraska, killing 1 person.
1992Johnny Carson’s final appearance on The Tonight Show on NBC, after 30 years as the program’s host.
1990In the Middle East, North and South Yemen merge to become a single state.
1985Baseball player Pete Rose passes Hank Aaron as National League run scoring leader with 2,108.
1980The arcade game Pac-Man is released
1972Ceylon becomes the Republic of Sri Lanka as its constitution is ratified.
1967The children’s program Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood premiers.
1960The most violent earthquake in recorded history hits Chile
1947The Truman Doctrine brings aid to Turkey and Greece.
1943Betty Williams, Northern Irish political activist who won of the Nobel Peace Prize.
1942Theodore “Ted” Kaczynski, infamous as Unabomber terrorist.
1939Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini sign a “Pact of Steel” forming the Axis
1930Harvey Milk, one of the first openly gay politicians to win public office in the United States, a seat on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in 1977.
1928T Boone Pickens, oil magnate and financier who developed a reputation as a corporate raider in the 1980s.
1927Peter Matthiessen, writer.
1920Thomas Gold, astronomer.
1908The Wright brothers register their flying machine for a U.S. patent.