On this date...

In 1775, the first abolition society was founded in Philadelphia and was initially called The Society for the Relief of Free Negroes Unlawfully Held in Bondage but later changed its name to Pennsylvania Society for Promoting the Abolition of Slavery and the Relief of Free Negroes Unlawfully Held in Bondage. It was founded by Anthony Benezet a leading Quaker educator and early abolitionist.

In 1828, Noah Webster published his first dictionary called "An American Dictionary of the English Language."

In 1865, Abraham Lincoln was shot in the head at Ford’s Theater in Washington, D.C., by John Wilkes Booth. Ironically Ulysses Grant and his wife turned down an invitation from President Lincoln to attend the play with him.

In 1902, J.C. Penney opened his first dry goods store.

In 1910, President Taft becomes the first American President to throw out a pitch at a major league baseball game.

In 1912, The Titanic strikes an iceberg and sinks into the ocean killing over 1500 people.

In 1935, the Black Sunday Dust Storm struck with a million tons of dirt being blown across a huge swath of America known as the Plains. It was called Black Sunday because of the intensity of the storm and how dark it became during the day.

In 1939, John Steinbeck publishes the "Grapes of Wrath"

In 1952, Ralph Ellison publishes "Invisible Man"