Make way for “The Pill”. The Food and Drug Administration approves the oral contraceptive Enovid as safe for birth control use. The pill is the first of its kind to be available by prescription in the United States, unleashing a social revolution.

 

1961,

 

A blistering attack on American television by the head of the Federal Communications Commission. FCC chairman Newton Minow condemns TV programming in a speech to the National Association of Broadcasters. 

 

“Keep your eyes glued to that set until the station signs off. I can assure you that you will observe a vast wasteland.”

 

1926,

 

Americans Richard Byrd and Floyd Bennett become the first men to fly over the North Pole during a 15 and a half hour flight. 

 

1918,

 

“People know what to expect and I’m gonna do it with you. They know that there'll be some questions that they're not gonna be particularly happy with.”

 

Mike Wallace, one of the original correspondents on the CBS News magazine “60 Minutes”, is born in Brookline, Massachusetts.

 

And 1949,

 

“Sing us a song you’re the piano man. Sing us a song tonight.” 

 

Singer songwriter Billy Joel, the “Piano Man” himself, is born in New York City.

 

Today in History, May 9th, Sandy Kozel, the Associated Press.