On February 27th...

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1801 Washington, DC., was placed under Congressional jurisdiction.

1807 Poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow was born.

1813 The first federal vaccination legislation was enacted.
1813 Congress authorized the use of steamboats to transport mail.

1827 New Orleans hosted its first ever Mardi Gras celebration.

1844 Nicholas Biddle, president of the Bank of the United States, died.

1869 John Menard became the first black to make a speech in Congress.

1874 The first baseball game in England was played at Lord's Cricket Grounds.

1877 The Electoral College declared Rutherford B. Hayes President of the United States.

1879 Constantine Fahlberg discovered saccharin.

1883 Oscar Hammerstein patented the cigar-rolling machine.

1886 U.S. Supreme Court Hustice Hugo Black was born.

1887 Opera singer Marian Anderson was born.

1891 Radio executive David Sarnoff was born.

1892 Actor William Demarest was born.

1902 Author John Steinbeck was born.

1917 John B. Connally, U.S. Secretary of the Navy, Governor of Texas, and Secretary of the Treasury, was born.

1919 The American Association for Hard of Hearing was formed.

1921 The International Working Union of Socialist Parties was founded.

1928 Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon was born.

1930 Actress Joanne Woodward was born.

1932 Actress Elizabeth Taylor was born.

1934 Consumer advocate Ralph Nader was born.

1936 Psychologist Ivan Pavlov died.

1940 Actor Howard Hesseman was born.
1940 Architect Peter Behrens died.

1942 The Allies lost the Battle of Java Sea.

1951 The 22nd Amendment, limiting Presidents to two full terms, was ratified.

1958 New York Yankee center fielder Mickey Mantle signed a contract worth an estimated $72,000-75,000.

1973 The American Indian Movement occupied Wounded Knee in South Dakota.

1974 The first issue of People magazine was published.

1980 Israel and Egypt exchanged ambassadors for the first time.
1980 Chelsea Clinton, daughter of President Bill Clinton, was born.

1985 U.S. Senator and Ambassador Henry Cabot Lodge, Jr. died.

1992 Politician S.I. Hayakawa died.

1993 Movie and stage actress Lillian Gish died.

2003 Children's show host Fred Rogers died.

2008 Columnist William F. Buckley died.

2013 Pianist Van Cliburn died.

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This page was last updated on November 07, 2017.