This Day in History for February 18 – First Oscars Awarded and More

Here’s a look at some interesting events that took place on this day in history:

1929 – The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announces the winners of the first Academy Awards (More info)

1930 – Pluto, once believed to be the ninth planet, is discovered at the Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona, by astronomer Clyde W. Tombaugh (More info)

1954 – The first Church of Scientology is established in Los Angeles, California (More info)

1972 – The California Supreme Court invalidates the state’s death penalty and commutes the sentences of all death row inmates to life imprisonment (More info)

2001 – Seven-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Dale Earnhardt dies in an accident during the Daytona 500 (More info)