1908

A major earthquake followed by a tsunami devastated the Italian cities of Messina and Reggio Calabria, killing at least 70,000 people.

1912

San Francisco’s Municipal Railway began operations with Mayor James Rolph Jr. at the controls of Streetcar No. 1 as 50,000 spectators looked on.

1945

Congress officially recognized the Pledge of Allegiance.

1981

Elizabeth Jordan Carr, the first American “test-tube” baby, was born in Norfolk, Virginia.

2015

A grand jury in Cleveland declined to indict two White police officers in the killing of 12-year-old Tamir Rice, a Black youth. He was shot while carrying what turned out to be a toy pellet gun.