November 17
Today in America's Present Past
1685 | Explorer Pierre Gaultier de Varennes sieur de La Vérendrye was born.
1747 | Knowles Riots start in Boston, Massachusetts.
1749 | Founder Roger Sherman wed Elizabeth Hartwell.
1771 | Composer Jonathan Huntington was born.
1774 | War of Independence: The First City Troop Philadelphia City Cavalry formed at Carpenter’s Hall, Philadelphia, one of the oldest military units.
1794 | Commander John Barrien Montgomery was born.
1800 | Congress: The Congress meets for the first time in the newly built but still incomplete Capitol Building in Washington, D.C.
1827 | Delta Phi fraternity was formed.
1842 | Civil Rights: Fugitive slave George Latimer captured in Boston, Massachusetts bringing national focus to Fugitive Slave Laws.
1863 | Civil War: The Battle of Knoxville, Tennessee begins.
1863 | POTUS: Republican President Lincoln starts his first draft of his famous Gettysburg Address.
1865 | Physician and activist James McCune Smith died.
1866 | Author and activist Voltairine de Cleyre was born in Leslie, Michigan.
1871 | Civil Rights: The National Rifle Association was chartered.
1884 | Police arrest boxer John L. Sullivan in the second round of a match for illegal prize fighting.
1894 | Serial killer H. H. Holmes was arrested in Boston, Massachusetts after being tracked there by the Pinkertons.
1897 | Cleric George Hendric Houghton died.
1904 | Musician L.F. “Jack” Owen was born.
1916 | Activist Winson Hudson was born.
1925 | Actor Rock Hudson was born.
1926 | Taxidermist Carl Akeley died.
1934 | Musician Alan Curtis was born in Mason, Michigan.
1934 | POTUS: President Lyndon B. Johnson wed Claudia Alta Taylor.
1935 | Musician Roswell Rudd was born.
1942 | Director Martin Scorsese was born.
1944 | Actor Danny DeVito was born.
1944 | Producer Lorne Michaels was born.
1947 | Civil Rights: The Screen Actors Guild implements an anti-Communist loyalty oath.
1948 | Journalist Howard Fineman was born.
1950 | Author Jack Kerouac wed Joan Haverty.
1960 | Entertainer RuPaul was born.
1962 | POTUS: Democrat President Kennedy dedicates Dulles International Airport.
1966 | Musician Jeff Buckley was born.
1967 | Entrepreneur Fred Koch died.
1970 | Douglas Engelbart earned a patent for the computer mouse.
1981 | Musician Bob Eberly died.
1990 | Nobel physicist Robert Hofstadter died.
2002 | Author Leo P. Kelley died.
2008 | Admiral George Stephen Morrison died.