Historical Events 1492 - Christopher Columbus is the first European to sight Hispaniola (modern Dominican Republic and Haiti) 1941 - Patrick Hamilton's "Angel Street" premieres in NYC 1941 - US aircraft carrier Lexington and 5 heavy cruisers leave Pearl Harbor 1955 - Historic bus boycott begins in Montgomery‚ Alabama by Rosa Parks and other civil rights activists 1957 - NYC is first US city to legislate against racial or religious discrimination in housing market (Fair Housing Practices Law) 1975 - NASA launches space vehicle S-196‚ it failed More Historical Events » Famous Birthdays 1914 - Hans Hellmut Kirst‚ German author (The Lieutenant Must Be Mad)‚ born in Osterode‚ Germany (d. 1989) 1932 - James Cleveland‚ American gospel singer‚ born in Chicago‚ Illinois (d. 1991) 1940 - Peter Pohl‚ Swedish writer‚ born in Hamburg‚ Germany 1947 - Rick Wills‚ British bass guitarist (Peter Frampton‚ 1972-74: Foreigner‚ 1977-91)‚ born in Cambridge‚ England 1951 - Tom Purtzer‚ American golfer (5 PGA Tour titles)‚ born in Des Moines‚ Iowa 1965 - Johnny Rzeznik‚ American singer‚ songwriter and guitarist (Goo Goo Dolls)‚ born in Buffalo‚ New York More Famous Birthdays » Famous Deaths 1745 - Christoph Förster‚ German composer‚ dies at 52 1965 - Joseph Erlanger‚ American physiologist (shock therapy-Nobel 1944)‚ dies of heart disease at 91 1995 - Bill Bruton‚ American baseball outfielder (NL stolen bases leader 1953-55 Milwaukee Braves)‚ dies of a heart attack at 70 2001 - Peter Blake‚ New Zealand yachtsman (Whitbread Round the World Race 1989-90; America's Cup 1995‚ 2000) and Special Envoy UN Environment Program‚ killed by pirates on the Amazon River at 53 2008 - Nina Foch‚ Dutch-American actress (The Ten Commandments‚ Spartacus‚ An American in Paris)‚ dies from complications of myelodysplastic syndrome at 84 2008 - Beverly Garland [Fessenden]‚ American actress (My Three Sons‚ Scarecrow and Mrs. King)‚ dies at 82 More Famous Deaths »