Here are 25 events that demanded immediate attention.
The unrest followed a court decision in which Los Angeles police officers were acquitted of assault against Rodney King.
The riots went on for days as millions of viewers watched the news coverage.

Mark Cuthbert/UK Press via Getty Images; Bebeto Matthews/AP; Joseph Villarin/AP; AP; Kevin Winter/ImageDirect via Getty Images
I am one of the lucky people in the world.
I found something that I always wanted to do and I have enjoyed every single minute of it…
I bid you a very heartfelt goodnight."

AP
A rare sit-down with the then-reclusive star, the extensive chat took place at Jackson’s Neverland Ranch.
The slow-speed chase of O.J.
Hugh Grant answers Jay Lenos question about Divine Brown, What the hell were you thinking?

CBS via Getty Images
And there you have it."
Simpson stood trial in a criminal case following the death of his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson.
Between 50 and 70 million people watched as Lewinsky told her story.

Mike Nelson/AFP/Getty Images
While the Y2K fears were largely unfounded, the broadcast was a huge success for ABC.
She beat out Justin Guarini and kicked off a storied pop career.
“First of all, let’s get one thing straight.

Alice S. Hall/NBCU Photo Bank
Crack is cheap,” she told Sawyer as 21 million viewers watched.
“I make too much money to ever smoke crack.
Let’s get that straight.

Harpo Productions/ Courtesy Everett Collection
We don’t do crack.
We don’t do that.
Crack is wack.”

Joseph Villarin/AP
Chesley ‘Sulley’ Sullenbergers miracle plane landing on the Hudson (Jan. 15.
2009)
In a moment that is nowbeing made into a movie, Captain Chesley B.
The celebratory event included speeches, performances, and meaningful moments as Obama became the first African American POTUS.

Margaret Norton/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank
About 12.2 million viewers watched the interview live, as millions more caught the footage online and abroad.

ABC News

Myung J. Chun/AFP/Getty Images

Boris Spremo/Toronto Star via Getty Images

Virginia Sherwood/ABC via Getty Images

Susan Watts/NY Daily News Archive via Getty Images

Rick Wilking/Liaison via Getty Images

Kevin Winter/ImageDirect via Getty Images

Ida Mae Astute/ABC via Getty Images

Bebeto Matthews/AP

Mark Wilson/Getty Images

Mark Cuthbert/UK Press via Getty Images

Joe Burbank-Pool/Getty Images

George Burns/Oprah Winfrey Network via Getty Images

Sean Murphy/Massachusetts State Police via AP

ABC