On This Day: Scott Carpenter is 2nd American to orbit Earth
On May 24, 1962, Mercury astronaut Scott Carpenter became the second American to orbit Earth, circling it three times. John Glenn was the first, earlier in the year.
By
UPI Staff

Astronaut Scott Carpenter climbs into Aurora 7 ahead of launching the second American-manned orbital flight on May 24, 1962. File Photo by NASA/UPI


On this date in history:

In 1626, the Dutch West Indies Trading Co. bought the island of Manhattan from American Indians, paying with goods worth about $24.

In 1844, the first U.S telegraph line was formally opened -- between Baltimore and Washington.

In 1883, the Brooklyn Bridge was opened to the public, linking Brooklyn and Manhattan in New York City.

File Photo by John Angelillo/UPI

In 1935, the first night game in Major League Baseball was played at Crosley Field in Cincinnati. The Reds beat the Philadelphia Phillies 2-1.

In 1958, United Press and the International News Service merger was announced, forming United Press International.

In 1962, Mercury astronaut Scott Carpenter became the second American to orbit Earth, circling it three times. John Glenn was the first, earlier in the year.

In 1983, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled private religious schools that practice racial discrimination aren't eligible for church-related tax benefits.

In 1987, 250,000 people jammed San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge on its 50th anniversary, temporarily flattening the arched span.

File Photo by Terry Schmitt/UPI

In 1991, Eritrea gained independence from Ethiopia.

In 2007, the U.S. Congress voted to increase the minimum wage for the first time in 10 years -- from $5.15 an hour to $7.25 over a three-year period.

In 2018, President Donald Trump posthumously pardoned Jack Johnson, the first black heavyweight boxing champion, for his conviction under a Jim Crow-era law.


File Photo by Olivier Douliery/UPI