1942 – Fire engulfed the Cocoanut Grove nightclub in Boston
The fire accident in the Cocoanut Grove nightclub killed 492 people in the deadliest nightclub and rapidly spread over the basement.
1520 – Ferdinand Magellan reached the Pacific Ocean
Ferdinand Magellan was the Portuguese navigator who reached the Pacific Ocean after passing through the South American strait.
1919 – First female member of the British Parliament
Astor is the American-born Lady elected as the first female member of the British Parliament.
1943 – Conferring in Tehran
During World War II, President Franklin D. Roosevelt, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and Soviet leader Josef Stalin conferred in Tehran.
1962 – First African-American winner of the Heisman Trophy
Ernie Davis of Syracuse University became the first African-American to be the winner of the Heisman Trophy.
1964 – Launched Space Probe Mariner 4
The Space probe Mariner 4 was launched by the United States on a course toward Mars that flew in July 1965, sending images of the red planet.
1979 – Air New Zealand DC-10 crashed into a mountain
Air New Zealand DC-10, en route to the South Pole, crashed into a mountain in Antarctica, killing about 257 people aboard.
1990 – British Prime Minister was resigned
During an audience with Queen Elizabeth II, Margaret Thatcher resigned as British Prime Minister and then conferred the premiership on John Major.
1994 – Jeffrey Dahmer was in Wisconsin prison
Jeffrey Dahmer, a serial killer, was slain in Wisconsin prison by a fellow inmate.
1994 – Jerry Rubin died
Jerry Rubin, a Sixties war protester, died in Los Angeles. Two weeks after being hit by a car when he was 56.
2001 – World's largest energy trader collapsed
Enron Corp, once the world's largest energy trader, collapsed after would-be rescuer Dynegy Inc. Backed out of an $8.4 billion takeover deal.
2016 – Commercial flight from the United States to Havana
The first commercial flight from the United States to Havana in more than 50 years arrived as the island began week-along memorial services for Fidel Castro.
2018 – Nancy Pelosi as House Speaker
Democrats nominated Nancy Pelosi to become the House Speaker when Democrats took control of the House in January.
2020 – First woman to participate in a Power Five Conference football game
Sarah Fuller was the first woman to participate in a Power Five conference football game. She kicked off for Vanderbilt to start the second half at Missouri.