25th October 1940: Benjamin O. Davis Sr. becomes first black general in the US military

Davis first entered military service following the outbreak of the Spanish-American War in 1898, and later served as Professor of Military Science and Tactics at both Wilberforce University in Ohio and Tuskegee University in Alabama as well as serving tours of duty around the world.

25th April 1898: The United States declares war on Spain in the Spanish–American War

Congress didn’t formally declare war until 25 April, although the declaration recognized that a state of war had existed since Spain’s declaration four days earlier.