(Friday, June 6, 1856) — Former Secretary of State James Buchanan of Pennsylvania was unanimously nominated president today at the 1856 Democratic National Convention meeting at Smith and Nixon’s Hall in Cincinnati. Continue reading Democrats nominate Buchanan-Breckinridge ticket 160 years ago today (June 6 1856) →

Video: 'Presidents in Our Backyard -- Grover Cleveland'

(Wednesday, June 2, 1886, 7:00 p.m. local time) — U.S. President Grover Cleveland, 49, married Frances Folsom, 21, today in the Blue Room of the White House, becoming the first (and to date, the only) president to marry in the executive mansion. Continue reading President Cleveland marries Frances Folsom in White House 130 years ago this hour (June 2 1886) →

Video: 'Truman & the Railroad Strike of 1946 - Part 3' (May 25, 1946)

(Saturday, May 25, 1946, 3:57 p.m. EST; during the Strike wave of 1945–46) — With only three minutes left before the U.S. Army would seize control of the nation’s railroads, the leaders of both striking railway workers’ unions signed a settlement at the White House. Continue reading Rail strike ends as Truman demands laws, including draft, to stop action against U.S. 70 years ago this hour (May 25 1946) →

Video: 'Truman & the Railroad Strike of 1946 - Part 1' (Truman address at 0:17)

(Friday, May 24, 1946, 9:00 p.m. EST; during the Strike wave of 1945–46) — U.S. President Harry S. Truman made a nationwide radio address tonight regarding the railway strike, and delivered an ultimatum: “If sufficient workers to operate the trains have not returned, by 4 p.m. tomorrow, as head of our government, I have no alternative but to operate the trains by using every means within my power … I shall ask our armed forces to furnish protection to every man who heeds the call of his country in this hour of need.” Continue reading Truman calls rail men to return at once, will use Army to run trains if they do not 70 years ago this hour (May 24 1946) →

Video: 'President Clinton Signing Megan's Law'

(Monday, May 17, 1996, 10:50 a.m. EDT) — U.S. President Bill Clinton signed a measure today requiring neighborhood notification when sex offenders move in.

“Megan’s Law,” as it’s known, was named for Megan Kanka, a seven-year-old New Jersey girl who was raped and murdered in 1994.

Video: 'Vice President Alben W. Barkley's Last Words'

(Monday, April 30, 1956, 5:15 p.m. EST) — Alben W. Barkley, the 35th Vice President of the United States (1949-1953, under President Harry S. Truman), died today of a heart attack today while addressing a student political convention at Washington and Lee University in Lexington, Virginia. He was 78 (click here to watch Barkley’s final speech and the ambulance that took him away for treatment).

Video: 'Documentary American Experience JFK Like No Other Part I' (JFK runs in 1946 at 38:13)

(Thursday, April 25, 1946) — John F. Kennedy officially announced today at the Parker House Hotel that he was running for the 11th Congressional District in Massachusetts (which included parts of Boston, Cambridge and Somerville).

The seat was being vacated by James Michael Curley after some backroom negotiations by Joe Kennedy, Sr.

Video: ‘William R. King Top # 5 Facts’

(Friday, April 7, 1786) — William R. King, the 13th Vice President of the United States, was born today in Sampson County, North Carolina.

The future U.S. Senator from Alabama would briefly serve as vice president under President Franklin Pierce, a Democrat, from March 4, 1853 until his death of tuberculosis only 45 days later.