Today is October 31. While best known globally for the spooky traditions of Halloween, this date has also hosted monumental shifts in American geography, engineering marvels, and groundbreaking cultural milestones. Here is a look back at the major events that shaped U.S. history on this day:

2008: The Bitcoin White Paper is Released

In a moment that would fundamentally shift global finance and cryptography, the mysterious and anonymous programmer known as Satoshi Nakamoto published the Bitcoin white paper. Titled “Bitcoin: A Peer-to-Peer Electronic Cash System,” the nine-page document outlined the framework for a decentralized digital currency operating on a secure blockchain ledger, laying the foundation for the modern cryptocurrency industry.

1864: Nevada Becomes the 36th State

In the midst of the American Civil War, Nevada was admitted to the Union as the 36th state. To fast-track statehood and ensure its rich silver reserves supported the Union cause, Nevada sent its entire state constitution via telegraph to Washington, D.C., just days before the 1864 presidential election. Its statehood earned Nevada its lasting nickname: the “Battle Born” state.

1941: Completion of the Mount Rushmore Memorial

After 14 years of intensive and hazardous construction, work on the Mount Rushmore National Memorial was officially completed in the Black Hills of South Dakota. Sculptor Gutzon Borglum and a crew of hundreds used dynamite and chisels to carve the 60-foot-tall faces of Presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln into the granite mountain face, symbolizing the birth, growth, preservation, and development of the nation.

1950: Earl Lloyd Breaks the NBA Color Barrier

Marking a massive milestone for civil rights in professional sports, Earl Lloyd became the first African American to play in an NBA game. Suiting up for the Washington Capitols in a matchup against the Rochester Royals, Lloyd finished the game with six points and ten rebounds. His debut paved the way for generations of athletes and completely transformed the future landscape of professional basketball.

1997: Violet Palmer Makes Refereeing History

Forty-seven years after Earl Lloyd broke the player color barrier, professional basketball saw another foundational milestone on this exact date. Violet Palmer became the first woman to officiate an NBA game, taking the court to referee a regular-season game between the Dallas Mavericks and the Vancouver Grizzlies. Palmer successfully broke the gender barrier for officials in all major American male professional sports leagues.