Public testimony at the Iran-Contra hearing began on this day in 1987 with testimony from Oliver North.
Oliver Laurence North will be 75 in October.
On this day in 1981, United States President Reagan announced he was nominating Arizona Judge Sandra Day O’Connor to become the first female justice on the U.S. Supreme Court.
President Ronald W. Reagan talks with Supreme Court nominee Sandra Day O’Conner at the White House on July 15, 1981.
Former Beatle drummer Ringo Starr (Sir Richard Starkey) is 78 today.
An exchange between Sen. Joseph McCarthy (right) and Joseph Welch (left) took place on this day in 1954. Sen. McCarthy was confronted by Welch over his anti-communist stance. Welch represented the Army during the Army-McCarthy hearings.
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Charles John Huffam Dickens (February 7, 1812 – June 9, 1870)
Charles Dickens was an English writer and social critic. He created some of the world’s best-known fictional characters and is regarded by many as the greatest novelist of the Victorian era. His works enjoyed unprecedented popularity during his lifetime, and by the 20th century critics and scholars had recognized him as a literary genius. His novels and short stories enjoy lasting popularity. Dickens suffered stroke at his home after a full day’s work on his final novel Edwin Drood and never regained consciousness. His ending for the unfinished book remains unknown.
Comedian/actor Richard Pryor was severely burned by a "free-base" mixture that exploded in his home on this day in 1980. He was hospitalized more than two months.
On this day in 1973, Secretariat won the 105th Belmont Stakes by 31 lengths and ran the fastest 1 1/2 miles on dirt at 2:24.
Les Paul (Lester William Polsfuss) (June 9, 1915 – August 12, 2009)
Les Paul was one of the pioneers of the solid-body electric guitar. He taught himself how to play guitar, and while he is mainly known for jazz and popular music, he had an early career in country music. Paul is credited with many recording innovations. Although he was not the first to use the technique, his early experiments with overdubbing (also known as sound on sound), delay effects such as tape delayphasing effects and multitrack recording were among the first to attract widespread attention
Les Paul is the only person to be included in both the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the National Inventors Hall of Fame.
He recorded with his wife Mary Ford in the 1950s, and together they sold millions of records.
On this day in 1954, the U.S. Supreme Court unanimously ruled for school integration in Brown vs. Board of Education of Topeka. The ruling declared that racially segregated schools were inherently unequal.
The U.S. Senate Watergate Committee began its hearings on this day in 1973. Sen. Sam Ervin (center) was the chairman of the Investigating Committee
On this day in 1792, the New York Stock Exchange was founded at 70 Wall Street by 24 brokers.
The actual Buttonwood Agreement is shown on the right. The New York Stock Exchange traces its origins to this historic document.
The first Kentucky Derby was held at what would become known as Churchill Downs in Louisville, KY. on this day in 1875.
Winning the race was Oliver Lewis riding the horse named Aristides with a time of 2 min 37 seconds. The purse at that time was said to be $2,850.
