"OK"

The first use of the uniquely American phrase "OK" was found in the Boston Morning Post in 1839. An article quote in the paper used O.K. to place an event as all correct. Since then, the phrase has been adopted nationally and universally as a sign of affirmation.
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WWJ in Detroit

The Scripps family, owner of the Detroit News, founded the Detroit station 8MK, later WWJ, which on August 20, 1920 became the fist commercial radio station in the U.S. The first day of programming included recorded music and news provided from the U.S. Naval Department. An estimated thirty homes in the Detroit area were tuned in.
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Boston Marathon

The first Boston Marathon was run on April 19, 1897. The course measured 24.5 miles, starting at Metcalfe's Mill in Asthland and finishing at Irvington Street Oval in Boston. There were 15 runners in the first race. John McDermott won the race in 2 hours, 55 minutes and 10 seconds, despite the fact that he had to stop and wait several minutes for a funeral procession.
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19th Amendment

The 19th Amendment of the Constitution was ratified by Congress on August 18, 1920. This amendment gave American women the right to vote in elections for the first time. This historic event capped more than 70 years of lobbying, marching and organizing by Americans such as Julia Ward Howe, Lucy Stone, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Lucretia Mott, Susan B. Anthony and Alice Paul.
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The transistor

Bell Telephone Laboratories researchers John Bardeen and Walter Brattain developed the first point contact transistor in 1947. Their transistor concept was demonstrated to executives at Bell who were very impressed that the transistors did not need time to warm up like existing vacuum tubes. They immediately realized the power of the transistor.
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Iditarod

The first Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race in Alaska ran in 1973. Twenty-two mushers finished the 1,100 plus mile trail to Nome, Alaska in the first race. Iditarod race founder Dorothy G. Page created the sled dog race to celebrate Alaska's pioneer spirit and the trail's historical importance before the advent of airplanes and snowmobiles. The Iditarod has grown every year since 1973.
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Charles Cooper

Charles Cooper became the first African-American signed by an NBA team when he agreed to a contract with the Boston Celtics on April 15, 1950. During the same season, Earl Lloyd became the first African-American to play in an NBA game when he played for the Washington Capitols against the Rochester Royals on October 31, 1950.
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