• James Naismith invents and writes the rules for the game of basketball.
• Stanford University opens for its first classes.

These people were born in 1891:

• German admiral Karl Dönitz, president of Germany for 20 days following Adolph Hitler's suicide.
• American composer Cole Porter.
• American painter Grant Wood, best known for his inconic 1930 painting "American Gothic."
• American pioneer of public relations Edward Bernays.

These people died in 1891:

• American novelist Herman Melville, author of Moby Dick.

1890 - 1891 - 1892

19th century

This is a collaboratively edited writeup. You are encouraged to assimilate and supersede it.