# Today in History **URL:** \ **Category:** Thread Games\ **Created:** [July 10, 2016, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530 "2016-07-10T04:53:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 128
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2025, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/2545 "2025-12-18T04:08:46Z")
Two things today: **1903** : Orville Wright pilots the first heavier-than-air flight at Kitty Hawk **1989** : _The Simpsons_ premiere on Fox with “Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire” . I’ll let you think about which is more significant. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2026, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/2546 "2026-01-16T17:02:19Z")
35 years ago today (1991, for those who don’t want to do math), the Persian Gulf War started. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2026, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/2547 "2026-01-24T20:45:30Z")
On this day (January 24) in 1972, locals in Guam captured Japanese soldier Shoichi Yokoi, who had been hiding since America captured the island in 1944. If you don’t want to do the math, this is 28 years, y’all. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2026, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/2548 "2026-01-28T18:35:27Z")
40 years ago today the Space Shuttle _Challenger_ exploded. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2026, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/2549 "2026-01-31T18:33:59Z")
161 years ago today (Jan 31st, 1865), the 13th Amendment was passed, barring slavery. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2026, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/2550 "2026-02-07T15:07:53Z")
February 7th, 1964, the Beatles land at JFK. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2026, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/2551 "2026-02-08T23:44:39Z")
**February 8, 1587** : Mary, Queen of Scots was beheaded in the Great Hall of Fotheringhay Castle, two months after her conviction of treason for participating in a plot to kill Queen Elizabeth of England . ---
**Author:** ![ekedolphin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ekedolphin/32/10003_2.png) [@ekedolphin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ekedolphin)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2026, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/2552 "2026-02-09T01:56:46Z")
**February 8, 1986:** Spud Webb, at 5 feet, 4 inches tall, defeats Atlanta Hawks teammate Dominique Wilkins to win the NBA Slam Dunk Contest. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2026, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/2553 "2026-03-01T15:24:54Z")
30 years ago today\*, Microprose released _Civilization II_, very likely the one computer game I spent the most time playing ever. \*technically, February 29th, 1996. ---
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2026, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/2554 "2026-03-25T23:45:18Z")
March 25, 1911: a hundred and fifteen years ago: The Triangle Shirtwaist fire. > **[Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire - Significance, Causes | HISTORY](https://www.history.com/articles/triangle-shirtwaist-fire)** > > The Triangle Shirtwaist Company fire killed 146 in 1911. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2026, 11:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/2555 "2026-03-27T11:07:14Z")
25 March was National Medal of Honor Day. [![](https://i.imgur.com/en5Ha6T.jpg) ](https://i.imgur.com/en5Ha6T.jpg) It is celebrated **every 25 March since 1991** , after George HW Bush signed Public Law 101-564. The first six Medals of Honor were awarded on **25 March 1863** to honor the Andrews Raiders who, on 12 April 1862, set a train car on fire to try to ignite a covered railway bridge and thwart Confederate pursuit during the Civil War. The medals were awarded (again, 25 March 1863) by Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton. After the award ceremony the six raiders were taken to the White House to meet President Abraham Lincoln, which then became a tradition for all Medal of Honor recipients. All Medal of Honor recipients here: ➜ [https://www.cmohs.org/recipients](https://www.cmohs.org/recipients) ■ ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2026, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/2556 "2026-05-19T23:27:06Z")
49 years ago today, the finest movie of 1977 premiered in NYC. I speak, of course, of **Smokey and the Bandit**. [![Imgur](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51435387655_333f37473d.jpg "Paul Smokey") ](https://www.flickr.com/photos/68782016@N08/51435387655/) ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2026, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/2557 "2026-09-11T16:36:52Z")
9/11/2001 A quarter-century. (Is there not a remembrance thread?) ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2026, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/2558 "2026-09-12T03:44:32Z")
Always remember. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2026, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/2559 "2026-09-20T20:06:04Z")
Major anniversary today… > [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530.md?page=127)