1870

Georgia became the last Confederate state to be readmitted to the Union.

1916

The Boeing Company, originally known as Pacific Aero Products Co., was founded in Seattle.

1975

Three American astronauts blasted off aboard an Apollo spaceship hours after two Soviet cosmonauts were launched aboard a Soyuz spacecraft for a mission that included a linkup of the two ships in orbit.

1976

A 36-hour kidnap ordeal began for 26 schoolchildren and their bus driver as they were abducted near Chowchilla, by three gunmen and imprisoned in an underground cell. (The captives escaped unharmed; the kidnappers were caught.)

1997

Fashion designer Gianni Versace, 50, was shot dead outside his Miami Beach home; suspected gunman Andrew Phillip Cunanan, 27, was found dead eight days later, a suicide.

2006

Twitter was launched to the public.

Birthdays

Singer Linda Ronstadt is 79. Musician Trevon Horn is 76. Rock drummer Marky Ramone is 73. Rock musician Joe Satriani is 69. Model Kim Alexis is 65. Actor-director Forest Whitaker is 64. Rock drummer Jason Bonham is 59. TV personality Adam Savage is 58. Actor-comedian Eddie Griffin is 57. Actor Scott Foley is 53. Actor Diane Kruger is 49.