- Edmund Hillary reached the top of Mount Everest. (1953) Hillary and his Sherpa companion, Tenzing Norgay reached the top of Mount Everest on this day. They were the first two to summit the mountain, though attempts had been made since the 1920s.
- The first advertisement for Coca-Cola® ran. (1886) The inventor of Coca-Cola®, John Pemberton, ran the first advertisement for his concoction on this day in the Atlanta Journal.
- Stravinsky's The Rites of Spring premiered. (1913) The innovative musical now considered a classic for its depictions of sexuality and dissonant music was not well-received — in fact, the audience rioted, fistfights broke out, and the police had to be called to calm things down.
- White Christmas was recorded. (1942) The phenomenally popular Irving Berlin Christmas song was recorded by Bing Crosby on this day. It went on to sell more than 100 million copies, and has been continually in print either on records or CDs since 1949.
- The first Bilderberg conference was held. (1954) The Bilderberg conference is a private, annual invite-only event for extremely influential bankers, businesspeople, media moguls, and politicians. Conspiracy theorists claim that the attendees, known as "Bilderbergers" heavily influence world events through decisions they reach at the Bilderberg conference. Famous attendees include Bill Clinton, Tony Blair, and Henry Kissinger, among others.
- The Bonus Marchers reached Washington D.C. (1932) Tens of thousands World War I veterans known as the Bonus Marchers reached Washington D.C., trying to get their promised bonus payments for their wartime service. Over 20,000 camped out in vacant lots in D.C. until legislation for their payment was passed, though a few diehards had to be cleared out of the city by force.
- The Empress of Ireland sank. (1914) The British passenger ship collided with a Norwegian freighter and sank less than 15 minutes later. Over 1,000 people were drowned, and it is considered one of the worst disasters in maritime history.
- Bob Hope turned 100 years old. (2003) Hope was an incredibly popular and productive performer starting from Vaudevillian times, and played hundreds of shows for US troops starting with World War II and going through the Vietnam War. Over 30 states declared public holidays on Hope's birthday.
- Rhode Island ratified the Constitution. (1790) It was the last of the original 13 colonies to do so, and was admitted as the 13th state soon afterward.
- President John F. Kennedy was born. (1917) Kennedy reached almost cult-like status in the U.S., and was seen as the leader for a new era in America. His assassination rocked the nation, and conspiracy theories still abound as to who actually killed him.
WiseGEEK is dedicated to providing accurate and trustworthy information. We carefully select reputable
sources and employ a rigorous fact-checking process to maintain the highest standards. To learn more about
our
commitment to accuracy, read our editorial process.