Today's Highlight in History:
Two hundred years ago, on Jan. 4, 1809, Louis Braille, inventor of the Braille raised-dot reading system for the blind, was born in Coupvray, France.
On this date:
In 1821, the first native-born American saint, Elizabeth Ann Seton, died in Emmitsburg, Md.
In 1896, Utah was admitted as the 45th state.
In 1904, the Supreme Court, in Gonzalez v. Williams, ruled that Puerto Ricans were not aliens and could enter the United States freely; however, the court stopped short of declaring them U.S. citizens.
In 1948, Burma (now called Myanmar) became independent of British rule.
In 1951, during the Korean War, North Korean and Communist Chinese forces recaptured the city of Seoul.
In 1960, Nobel Prize-winning French author Albert Camus died in an automobile accident at age 46.
In 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson outlined the goals of his "Great Society" in his State of the Union Address. Poet T.S. Eliot died in London at age 76.
In 1974, President Richard M. Nixon refused to hand over tape recordings and documents subpoenaed by the Senate Watergate Committee.
In 1987, 16 people were killed when an Amtrak train bound from Washington to Boston collided with Conrail locomotives that had crossed into its path from a side track in Chase, Md. In 2007, Nancy Pelosi was elected the first female speaker of the House as Democrats took control of Congress.
Ten years ago: Europe's new currency, the euro, got off to a strong start on its first trading day, rising against the dollar on world currency markets. Former professional wrestler Jesse Ventura took the oath of office as Minnesota's governor.
Five years ago: In Iowa, seven of the nine Democratic presidential hopefuls participated in a feisty, first debate of the election year. Afghans approved a new constitution. Georgians overwhelmingly elected Mikhail Saakashvili president, two months after he'd led protests that forced Eduard Shevardnadze to step down. Louisiana State University won college football's Sugar Bowl, defeating Oklahoma 21-14.
One year ago: The government reported that the nation's jobless rate hit 5 percent in December 2007, a two-year high, fanning recession fears. Howling winds, pelting rain and heavy snow pummeled California. Britney Spears lost custody of her two sons to ex-husband Kevin Federline a day after police and paramedics were called to her home.
Today's Birthdays: Actress Barbara Rush is 82. Football Hall-of-Fame coach Don Shula is 79. Actress Dyan Cannon is 72. Opera singer Grace Bumbry is 72. Author-historian Doris Kearns Goodwin is 66. Country singer Kathy Forester (The Forester Sisters) is 54. Actress Ann Magnuson is 53.
Rock musician Bernard Sumner (New Order, Joy Division) is 53. Country singer Patty Loveless is 52. Rock singer Michael Stipe (R.E.M.) is 49. Actor Patrick Cassidy is 47. Actor Dave Foley is 46. Singer-musician Cait O'Riordan is 44. Actress Julia Ormond is 44. Tennis player Guy Forget is 44. Country singer Deana Carter is 43. Rock musician Benjamin Darvill (Crash Test Dummies) is 42.
Thought for Today: "Sometimes history takes things into its own hands." — Thurgood Marshall, U.S. Supreme Court justice (1908-1993).
Two hundred years ago, on Jan. 4, 1809, Louis Braille, inventor of the Braille raised-dot reading system for the blind, was born in Coupvray, France.
On this date:
In 1821, the first native-born American saint, Elizabeth Ann Seton, died in Emmitsburg, Md.
In 1896, Utah was admitted as the 45th state.
In 1904, the Supreme Court, in Gonzalez v. Williams, ruled that Puerto Ricans were not aliens and could enter the United States freely; however, the court stopped short of declaring them U.S. citizens.
In 1948, Burma (now called Myanmar) became independent of British rule.
In 1951, during the Korean War, North Korean and Communist Chinese forces recaptured the city of Seoul.
In 1960, Nobel Prize-winning French author Albert Camus died in an automobile accident at age 46.
In 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson outlined the goals of his "Great Society" in his State of the Union Address. Poet T.S. Eliot died in London at age 76.
In 1974, President Richard M. Nixon refused to hand over tape recordings and documents subpoenaed by the Senate Watergate Committee.
In 1987, 16 people were killed when an Amtrak train bound from Washington to Boston collided with Conrail locomotives that had crossed into its path from a side track in Chase, Md. In 2007, Nancy Pelosi was elected the first female speaker of the House as Democrats took control of Congress.
Ten years ago: Europe's new currency, the euro, got off to a strong start on its first trading day, rising against the dollar on world currency markets. Former professional wrestler Jesse Ventura took the oath of office as Minnesota's governor.
Five years ago: In Iowa, seven of the nine Democratic presidential hopefuls participated in a feisty, first debate of the election year. Afghans approved a new constitution. Georgians overwhelmingly elected Mikhail Saakashvili president, two months after he'd led protests that forced Eduard Shevardnadze to step down. Louisiana State University won college football's Sugar Bowl, defeating Oklahoma 21-14.
One year ago: The government reported that the nation's jobless rate hit 5 percent in December 2007, a two-year high, fanning recession fears. Howling winds, pelting rain and heavy snow pummeled California. Britney Spears lost custody of her two sons to ex-husband Kevin Federline a day after police and paramedics were called to her home.
Today's Birthdays: Actress Barbara Rush is 82. Football Hall-of-Fame coach Don Shula is 79. Actress Dyan Cannon is 72. Opera singer Grace Bumbry is 72. Author-historian Doris Kearns Goodwin is 66. Country singer Kathy Forester (The Forester Sisters) is 54. Actress Ann Magnuson is 53.
Rock musician Bernard Sumner (New Order, Joy Division) is 53. Country singer Patty Loveless is 52. Rock singer Michael Stipe (R.E.M.) is 49. Actor Patrick Cassidy is 47. Actor Dave Foley is 46. Singer-musician Cait O'Riordan is 44. Actress Julia Ormond is 44. Tennis player Guy Forget is 44. Country singer Deana Carter is 43. Rock musician Benjamin Darvill (Crash Test Dummies) is 42.Thought for Today: "Sometimes history takes things into its own hands." — Thurgood Marshall, U.S. Supreme Court justice (1908-1993).
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