Today in History

1950

The Boston Celtics select Chuck Cooper in the second round, making him the first African American drafted in the NBA. He will make his debut on Nov 1, 1950 and play for six seasons. After retiring, Cooper will get his master’s in social work and work in education and urban affairs in Pittsburgh.

1961

MIT graduate and cofounder of Fairchild Semiconductor, Robert Noyce is granted a patent for the integrated circuit, or microchip, an essential computer building block. Noyce will later found Intel and be nicknamed “the Mayor of Silicon Valley.”

404 BCE

Raging for 27 years, the conflict between the city-state of Athens and the Peloponnesian League ends after Spartan leader Lysander destroys most of the Athenian fleet, and Athens finally surrenders. The war is over, as is the golden age of Greece.

1945

East meets West when Soviet and American patrols make contact along Germany’s River Elbe, dividing the Nazi’s remaining military force, and forging a personal alliance between the two Allied countries. Five days later Hitler will commit suicide.

1846

Thornton Affair: Open conflict begins over the disputed border of Texas, triggering the Mexican-American War

BIRTHDAYS IN MUSIC

1917Ella Fitzgerald, American jazz singer (Is it live or Memorex), born in Newport News, Virginia (d. 1996)

1923 Albert King [Nelson], American blues guitarist and singer (BB King & Friends, Blues Alive), born in Indianola, Mississippi (d. 1992

1945 Björn Ulvaeus,songwriter, producer and singer (ABBA), born in Gothenburg, Sweden

1972 Sara Baras, Spanish flamenco dancer and choreographer, born in San Fernando, Cádiz, Spain