Sorry this is so late. Make a guess and pour yourself a Ward Eight (scroll down the page for recipe, courtesy of Wombat Imbibing Consultant D. Wondrich).

Arguably, the term of Rutherford B. Hayes, 19th U.S. President, was tainted by his election, in which he actually lost the popular vote to Samuel Tilden and only squeaked through the Electoral College after cutting a nasty deal with four southern states to more or less end Reconstruction then and there. However, on February 15, 1879 he did something that moved in a small way down the road to equal rights in the U.S., at least with regard to our justice system. What did "Old Granny" make legal on that day?

For a bonus point, three days prior to that act, the first facility of its kind in North America opened in New York City. What was it?

First correct answer posted to comments wins a set of reel-to-reel "Whale Songs" tapes originally marketed by the Thalassa Society in 1972 to members and their extended families. No Googling or taking off of work to make a last minute road trip to Fremont, Ohio's Rutherford B. Hayes center. One guess per comment, please, but comment as often as you like.