Today's Highlight in History:
In 1955, Rosa Parks, a black seamstress, refused to give up her seat to a white man on a Montgomery, Alabama, city bus. Mrs. Parks was arrested, sparking a year-long boycott of the buses by blacks. [Or, as we like to say here @ Just Another Blog™, "black people." And see the original AP story, involving "Negroes." — Ed.]
In 1824, the presidential election was turned over to the U.S. House of Representatives when a deadlock developed between John Quincy Adams, Andrew Jackson, William H. Crawford and Henry Clay. (Adams ended up the winner.)
In 1887, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes appeared for the first time in print in the story "A Study in Scarlet."
In 1904, the Louisiana Purchase Exposition in St. Louis closed after seven months and some 20 million visitors.
In 1913, the first drive-in automobile service station, built by Gulf Refining Company, opened in Pittsburgh.
In 1919, Lady Astor was sworn in as the first female member of the British Parliament.
In 1921, the Navy flew the first nonrigid dirigible to use helium; the C-7 traveled from Hampton Roads, Virginia, to Washington, DC.
In 1934, Sergei M. Kirov, the head of the Communist Party in Leningrad, was assassinated as Soviet leader Josef Stalin began a massive purge that would claim tens of millions of lives. [Tens of millions? From purges? If you include peasants who starved after refusing to join collective farms, maybe. But remind us again how "liberal" the media is.— Ed.]
In 1942, nationwide gasoline rationing went into effect in the United States. [Be a good goddamn idea for now, too. — Ed.]
In 1943, President Roosevelt, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and Soviet leader Josef Stalin concluded their Tehran conference.
In 1959, twelve nations, including the United States, signed a treaty setting aside Antarctica as a scientific preserve free from military activity.
In 1965, an airlift of refugees from Cuba to the United States began in which thousands of Cubans were allowed to leave their homeland. [Possibly a biiiiig mistake. — Ed.]
In 1969, the U.S. government held its first draft lottery since World War II.
In 1973, David Ben-Gurion, Israel's first prime minister, died in Tel Aviv at age 87.
In 1991, Ukrainians voted overwhelmingly for independence from the Soviet Union.
In 1992, in Mineola, New York, Amy Fisher was sentenced to five to 15 years in prison for shooting and seriously wounding Mary Jo Buttafuoco. (Fisher served seven years.)
Ten years ago: A 14-year-old opened fire on a prayer circle at Heath High School in West Paducah, Kentucky, killing three fellow students and wounding five [Death to those who pray!! — Ed.]; the shooter, Michael Carneal, is serving a life sentence. Representatives from more than 150 countries gathered at a global warming summit in Kyoto, Japan, and over the course of ten days forged an agreement to control the emission of greenhouse gases. President Bush pulled the U.S. out of the Kyoto Protocol in 2001.
In 1998, Exxon and Mobil agreed to merge, creating the world's largest corporation. [Great!! Just what we needed. — Ed.]
In 2000, Vicente Fox was sworn in as president of Mexico, ending 71 years of ruling-party domination.
Five years ago: Colombia's largest right-wing paramilitary group [DIE, PIGS!! — Ed.] began a unilateral cease-fire in its long-running battle against leftist rebels. Russia won its first Davis Cup title by rallying to beat defending champion France 3-2. Edward Latimer "Ned" Beach, the U.S. Navy captain who wrote the best-selling undersea thriller "Run Silent, Run Deep," died in Washington at age 84.
In 2004, Tom Brokaw signed off for the last time as anchor of the "NBC Nightly News" after 23 years, & South Africa's highest court ruled in favor of gay marriage.
One year ago: Felipe Calderon took the oath of office as Mexico's president amid catcalls and brawling lawmakers, a chaotic start to a term in which he pledged to heal a country divided by his narrow victory. Officials reported that Typhoon Durian killed as many as 200 people when it tore through the eastern Philippines (the storm was eventually blamed for 1,399 deaths).
Today's Birthdays: Former CIA director Stansfield Turner is 84. Singer Billy Paul is 73. ["Mrs., Mrs. Joooones, We got a thing..." — Ed.] Actor-director Woody Allen is 72. Golfer Lee Trevino is 68. Singer Dianne Lennon (The Lennon Sisters) is 68. Country musician Casey Van Beek (The Tractors) is 65. Television producer David Salzman is 64. Rock singer-musician Eric Bloom (Blue Öyster Cult) is 63. Rock musician John Densmore (The Doors) is 63. [There's a coincidence. And so much for astrology. One a vocalist, one a drummer. — Ed.] Actress-singer Bette Midler is 62. Singer Gilbert O'Sullivan is 61. Actor Treat Williams is 56. Actress Charlene Tilton is 49. Actress-model Carol Alt is 47. Actor Nestor Carbonell is 40. Actress Golden Brooks is 37. Actress-comedian Sarah Silverman is 37. (Above left. Today's flesh in history.)Dead People Born on This Date:
Marie Tussaud, modeler in wax (1761)
Walter Alston, baseball manager (1911) [Spinning faster in his grave w/ each new Dodger™ season. — Ed.]
Minoru Yamasaki, architect (1912)
Mary Martin, singer, actress (1913)
Richard Pryor, comedian, actor (1940)
Show Bidness Events:
In 1950, Sam Cooke joined the gospel group The Soul Stirrers.
In 1954, songwriter and publisher Fred Rose died in Nashville of a heart attack.
In 1956, the Leonard Bernstein musical "Candide," based on the story by Voltaire, opened on Broadway.
In 1957, Buddy Holly and Sam Cooke made their national TV debuts on "The Ed Sullivan Show." [Double Sam Cooke action. — Ed.]
In 1958, the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical "Flower Drum Song" opened on Broadway.
Also in 1958, RCA Records signed singer Neil Sedaka.
In 1960, Paul McCartney and Pete Best were deported from West Germany on suspicion of arson after their hotel room mysteriously caught fire.
In 1963, The Beatles' first single, "I Want to Hold Your Hand," was released in the United States. [See? Beatle events every day. — Ed.]
In 1986, singer Lee Dorsey died in New Orleans of complications from emphysema. He's known for the hits "Ya-Ya" and "Working In The Coal Mine."
In 1989, actress Jane Fonda and Tom Hayden filed separate petitions for divorce in Santa Monica, California. Both said the split was amicable.
Also in 1989, actor James Woods and Sarah Marie Owen filed for separation in Los Angeles after four months of marriage.
In 1994, rapper Tupac Shakur was convicted of sexually abusing a woman in a hotel room. Shakur was also recovering from gunshot wounds suffered the day earlier after he was robbed outside a studio in New York.
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