1903: First airplane flies

[Dec 17]( THIS DAY IN HISTORY 1903 [First airplane flies]( Near Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, Orville and Wilbur Wright make the first successful flight in history of a self-propelled, heavier-than-air aircraft. Orville piloted the gasoline-powered, propeller-driven biplane, which stayed aloft for 12 seconds and covered 120 feet on its inaugural flight... [read more »]( American Revolution 1777 [France formally recognizes the United States »]( Automotive 1979 [Stuntman Stan Barrett breaks the sound barrier »]( Civil War 1862 [Grant expels the Jews from his department »]( Cold War 1991 [Yeltsin supporters announce Soviet Union will cease to exist by New Year's Eve »]( Crime 1986 ["Operation Iceman" nabs the culprit »]( Disaster 1961 [Circus catches fire in Brazil »]( General Interest 1944 [U.S. approves end to internment of Japanese Americans »]( 1975 ["Squeaky" Fromme sentenced to life »]( 1990 [Aristide wins Haiti's first free election »]( 1996 [Peruvian rebels seize Japanese ambassador's home »]( 2011 [Kim Jong Il, leader of North Korea, dies »]( Hollywood 2003 [Third and final Lord of the Rings movie opens »]( Literary 1843 [A Christmas Carol is published »]( Music 1991 [A federal court puts its stamp on hip-hop »]( Old West 1889 ["Silver Dollar" Tabor born in Denver »]( Presidential 1862 [Grant expels Jews from Tennessee, Kentucky and Mississippi »]( Sports 2000 [Terrell Owens makes record-breaking 20 catches »]( Vietnam War 1971 [Cambodian forces under heavy pressure »]( World War I 1873 [Ford Madox Ford is born »]( World War II 1941 [Commander at Pearl Harbor canned »]( [HISTORY.com]( [SHOWS]( [VIDEOS]( [SCHEDULE]( [TOPICS]( [Subscribe]( | [Update Profile]( | [Contact Us](mailto:thc.newsletters@aetn.com) This is a promotional email from HISTORY and A+E Networks. You received this message because {EMAIL} is subscribed to This Day In History email updates. If you DO NOT wish to receive these emails please [UNSUBSCRIBE](. Having trouble viewing this message? [View the web version](. To ensure delivery to your inbox (not junk folders) and view images, [please add us to your address book or safe/white list](. © 2017 A&E Television Networks, LLC. All Rights Reserved. Email Marketing, 235 E 45th Street, New York, NY 10017 [Corporate Information]( | [TV Parental Guidelines]( | [Careers]( | [Terms of Use]( | [Privacy Policy]( | [Copyright Policy]( | [Ad Sales]( | [Ad Choices](