1861 – Mississippi secedes from the Union (US Civil War)
1908 – Frans Schollaert succeeds De Trooz as premier of Belgium
1929 – KDB-AM in Santa Barbara CA begins radio transmissions
1956 – Abigail Van Buren’s [Pauline Phillips] “Dear Abby” advice column 1st appears in newspapers
1970 – Constitution of Singapore enacted
1995 – Ecuador and Peru involved in boundary fight
1998 – Decapitated head of Danish Little Mermaid is returned
2006 – 11th Critics’ Choice Movie Awards: Brokeback Mountain wins Best Film
2007 – 33rd People’s Choice Awards: Johnny Depp and Jennifer Aniston win (Movie Star) and Patrick Dempsey and Eva Longoria win (TV)
2018 – The first same-sex marriages take place in Australia after legislation passed a month ago