Nelson Mandela was released from prison after being incarcerated for 27 years in South Africa.
Source
A steamboat patent was granted to the American engineer and inventor Robert Fulton.
The comic book 'Archie' was first published.
Margaret Thatcher became the leader of the British Conservative Party.
Janet Reno became the first female to be appointed US Attorney General by President Clinton.
A 44 lb lobster was captured off the coast of Nova Scotia, Canada.
