Born on This Day
American playwright whose dramas "Death of a Salesman" and "The Crucible" examine how societal pressures shape human behavior.
Detroit rapper who revolutionized hip-hop with rapid-fire lyrics on controversy-courting tracks like "Stan" and "My Name Is."
American physician and the first Black female astronaut. Spent a week in 1992 orbiting the Earth in the space shuttle Endeavor.
After David Letterman invites magicians Penn & Teller to surprise him on their next appearance on his "Late Night" show, they unleash hundreds of cockroaches from a top hat onto his desk. Not pleased, Letterman later conceded it made "great TV."
Timeline
Discover more of the major events, famous births, notable deaths and everything else history-making that happened on October 17th
History Every Day
Uncover fascinating moments from the past every day! Learn something new with key events in history, from the American Revolution to pop culture, crime and more.