September 9, 1965: The Department of Housing and Urban Development

September 9, 1965: President Lyndon B. Johnson signs the Department of Housing and Urban Development Act, creating the federal department of that name. Given the nation's housing issues, both urban and rural, for all races, this is often overlooked as such, but was a big part of Johnson's overall program, which he called the Great Society.

There were several milestones along the way to creating "HUD." But until the New Deal of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, housing was one of those things that the federal government considered to be out of its jurisdiction. In 1934, FDR signed the National Housing Act, which created the Federal Housing Administration. The FHA would be a major factor in the G.I. Bill, which aided veterans returning from World War II in gaining better housing, often getting many people out of slums for the first time since their families came to America within the last 100 years. President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed into law the Housing Act of 1959, allowing federal funds for elderly housing.

Implementation of the new Department of Housing and Urban Development took until January 14, 1966. On that date, Robert C. Weaver was sworn in as its 1st Secretary, making him the 1st black person in the Cabinet of any President. Of the 18 people to have held the office (other than those who briefly served as Acting Secretary), 6 have been black, and 4 have been Hispanic.

The Headquarters of HUD opened in 1968, at 451 7th Street Northwest, and was named the Robert C. Weaver Federal Building in 2000.

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September 9, 1965 was a Thursday. Future basketball star Dan Majerle was born. Hurricane Betsy hit the Gulf of Mexico region, killing 81 people. This was also the day that Gatorade was introduced. I have a separate entry for that event.

There were only 5 major league baseball games that night:

* The Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Chicago Cubs, 1-0 at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles. Sandy Koufax pitched his 4th career no-hitter, and it was a perfect game. Bob Hendley of the Cubs only allowed 1 hit, and the Dodgers' run scored on a walk, a sacrifice bunt, and an error. I have a separate entry for this event.

* The New York Mets lost to the Cincinnati Reds, 3-2 at Crosley Field in Cincinnati. Rookie Tug McGraw, not yet converted into a reliever, started for the Mets, and allowed 2 runs over 7 innings. The Mets tied the game in the 8th, but Tony Pérez won it with a home run off Gordie Richardson in the bottom of the 9th. Frank Robinson -- as it turned out, in his last month with the Reds -- went 0-for-3 with a walk.

* The Minnesota Twins beat the Chicago White Sox, 10-4 at Comiskey Park in Chicago. Jim Kaat outpitched Joe Horlen. Harmon Killebrew did not play. The Twins were about to win Minnesota's 1st major league Pennant, the franchise's 1st since 1933, when they were the Washington Senators. But they would lose the World Series to the Dodgers.

* The California Angels beat the Kansas City Athletics, 7-2 at Kansas City Municipal Stadium.

* And the San Francisco Giants beat the Houston Astros, 4-0 at Candlestick Park in San Francisco. Juan Marichal, having returned from his suspension after hitting John Roseboro with his bat on August 22, pitched a 4-hit shutout. Tom Haller hit a home run. Willie Mays went 0-for-3.