Milestones

Ten years ago: Virginia’s L. Douglas Wilder became the nation’s first black elected governor; David N. Dinkins was elected New York City’s first black mayor. Richard Ramirez, convicted of California’s “Night Stalker” killings, was sentenced to death.

Five years ago: On the eve of Election Day, President Clinton concluded an eight-day campaign odyssey with an impassioned plea for embattled Democrats, saying, “We’ll go forward, we don’t want to go back,” even as he braced for expected Republican gains in the House and Senate.

One year ago: 77-year-old John Glenn returned to Earth aboard the space shuttle Discovery, visibly weak but elated after a nine-day mission.