1604 – Leon VII Spanish poet’s first poem is published: La Cocina
1864 – US Civil War: Union Army General Sherman begins advance to Atlanta, Georgia, during the Atlanta Campaign
1889 – Exposition Universelle (World’s Fair) in Paris opens with the recently completed Eiffel Tower serving as the entrance arch; the elevators in the tower are not yet ready, so intrepid visitors have to climb 1,710 steps to reach the top
1933 – 59th Kentucky Derby: Don Meade aboard Brokers Tip wins in 2:06.8
1942 – Corregidor and Philippines surrender to Japanese Armies
1970 – Irish Prime Minister Jack Lynch sacks two ministers in the Irish government over allegations of illegal arms importation
1981 – US expels Libyan diplomats
1991 – Space Shuttle STS 39 (Discovery 12) lands