1862

President Abraham Lincoln signed the Homestead Act, which was intended to encourage settlements west of the Mississippi River by making federal land available for private ownership and farming. About 10% of the land area of the United States (270 million acres) would be privatized by 1934.

1932

Amelia Earhart departed from Newfoundland in an attempt to become the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic.

1956

The United States exploded the first airborne hydrogen bomb over Bikini Atoll in the Pacific.

1961

A white mob attacked a busload of Freedom Riders in Montgomery, Alabama, prompting the federal government to send in U.S. marshals to restore order.

1969

U.S. and South Vietnamese forces captured Ap Bia Mountain, referred to as “Hamburger Hill” by the Americans, following one of the bloodiest battles of the Vietnam War.

Birthdays

Japanese baseball star Sadaharu Oh is 85. Singer-actor Cher is 79. Actor-comedian Dave Thomas is 76. Musician Jane Wiedlin (The Go-Go’s) is 67. Actor Bronson Pinchot is 66. Actor Mindy Cohn is 59. Actor Timothy Olyphant is 57. Former racing driver Tony Stewart is 54. Rapper Busta Rhymes is 53. Actor-singer Naturi Naughton is 41. Country musician Jon Pardi is 40.