Today in 1881, the American Red Cross provided relief for disaster for the first time. The disaster was Michigan’s Great Forest Fire of 1881.

Today in 1914, President Woodrow Wilson ordered US Navy to make its wireless stations accessible for any transatlantic communications - even to German diplomats sending coded messages; leads to interception of the Zimmermann telegram, helping bring the US into the war

Today in 1960, Cassius Clay of Louisville, Kentucky won the Gold medal in light heavyweight boxing at the Olympic Games in Rome, Italy. Clay later changed his name to Muhammad Ali.

Today in 1975, one of Charles Manson’s followers, Lynette “Squeaky” Fromme, made an unsuccessful assassination attempt on President Gerald Ford. She fired at him from a crowd on a street in Sacramento, California, but was subdued by onlookers in a matter of seconds. She was later convicted she was convicted of the attempted assassination of the president and received a life sentence under a 1965 law which made that act a federal crime punishable by a maximum sentence of life in prison. She was eventually paroled in 2008 and freed in 2009.

Today in 1983, President Reagan denounced the Soviet Union for shooting down a Korean Air Lines. Reagan demanded that the Soviet Union pay reparations for the act that killed 269 people.

Today in 1991, Soviet lawmakers created an interim government to usher in the confederation after dissolving the U.S.S.R. The new name? The Union of Sovereign States.

Today in 1997, Joan Lunden said goodbye to her ABC co-anchoring job on "Good Morning America" – ending her reign as the longest-running host in morning television history. She still owns that mantel – Katie Couric was on NBC’s “Today” for 15 years.

Today in 1997, Mother Teresa died in Calcutta, at the age of 87. Having been canonized as a saint in 2016, she is now known as Saint Teresa of Calcutta.

Today in 1998, the “Million Youth March” – which drew about 300 people – in New York City ended with a clash between police and the crowd.

Today in 2003, magician David Blaine entered a clear plastic box in London and was then suspended by a crane over the banks of the Thames River. He remained there until October 19th surviving only on water.

Today in 2017, Hurricane Irma became the post powerful Atlantic Ocean hurricane in recorded history with winds of 185mph. By the time she made landfall September 10th, she had weakened slightly – as a category 4 storm. Still, before she was done, she had caused $50-billion in damage – becoming the Irma is the fifth-costliest hurricane to hit the mainland United States.

(Photo credit STR/AFP via Getty Images)

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