1787 – Delegates to the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia begin debating the first complete draft of the proposed Constitution of the United States.
1890 — At Auburn Prison in New York, the first execution by electrocution in history is carried out against William Kemmler, who had been convicted of murdering his lover, Matilda Ziegler, with an axe.
1911 — Lucille Desiree Ball, one of America’s most famous redheads and beloved comic actresses, is born near Jamestown, New York. At age 15, Ball went to New York City to attend drama school and become an actress. She persevered after much rejection and went on to leading roles in many movies and TV shows.
1945 – American bomber drops atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan. It is the first and only time atomic weaponry has been used in wartime. About 80,000 people are killed and another 35,000 injured.
1965 – Pres. Lyndon Baines Johnson signs the Voting Rights Act, guaranteeing African Americans the right to vote.
