Today in History
Today is Wednesday, June 20, the 171st day of 2018. There are 194 days left in the year.
Today’s Highlight in History:
On June 20, 1893, a jury in New Bedford, Massachusetts, found Lizzie Borden not guilty of the ax murders of her father and stepmother.
On this date:
In 1782, Congress approved the Great Seal of the United States, featuring the emblem of the bald eagle.
In 1789, during the French Revolution, members of the Third Estate took the “Tennis Court Oath,” vowing not to disband until a written constitution was in place.
In 1791, King Louis XVI of France and his family attempted to flee in the so-called “Flight to Varennes,” but were caught.
In 1837, Queen Victoria acceded to the British throne following the death of her uncle, King William IV.
In 1863, West Virginia became the 35th state.
In 1921, U.S. Rep. Alice Mary Robertson, R-Okla., became the first woman to preside over a session of the House of Representatives.
In 1943, race-related rioting erupted in Detroit; federal troops were sent in two days later to quell the violence that resulted in more than 30 deaths.
In 1948, the variety series “Toast of the Town,” hosted by Ed Sullivan (for whom the show was later renamed), debuted on CBS television.
In 1967, boxer Muhammad Ali was convicted in Houston of violating Selective Service laws by refusing to be drafted and was sentenced to five years in prison. (Ali’s conviction was ultimately overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court).
In 1977, the first oil began flowing through the recently completed Trans-Alaska Pipeline from Prudhoe Bay to Valdez (val-DEEZ’).
In 1988, the U.S. Supreme Court unanimously upheld a New York City law making it illegal for private clubs with more than 400 members to exclude women and minorities.
In 1990, South African black nationalist Nelson Mandela and his wife, Winnie, arrived in New York City for a ticker-tape parade in their honor as they began an eight-city U.S. tour.
Ten years ago: Lightning began sparking more than 2,000 fires across northern and central California, eventually burning over a million acres. Model Naomi Campbell was sentenced in London to 200 hours of community service and fined 2,300 pounds ($4,600) after she pleaded guilty to kicking, spitting and swearing at two police officers during an argument over lost luggage while aboard a plane at Heathrow Airport.
Five years ago: In a telephone interview with The Associated Press, the Taliban proposed a deal in which they would free U.S. Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, held since 2009, in exchange for five of their most senior operatives at Guantanamo Bay. (The exchange took place, with Bergdahl being handed over on May 31, 2014.) The Food and Drug Administration approved unrestricted sales of the morning-after pill, lifting all age limits on the emergency contraceptive. The Miami Heat repeated as champions with a 95-88 victory over the San Antonio Spurs in Game 7 of the NBA Finals.
One year ago: A runoff election between Republican Karen Handel and Democrat Jon Ossoff was held in Georgia’s 6th Congressional District; Handel was declared the winner with 52 percent of the vote to Ossoff’s 48. Uber CEO Travis Kalanick resigned under pressure from investors and Uber’s board. Rapper Prodigy, a member of the hardcore New York hip-hop duo Mobb Deep, died in Las Vegas at age 42.
Today’s Birthdays: Actress Bonnie Bartlett is 89. Actress Olympia Dukakis is 87. Actor James Tolkan is 87. Actor Danny Aiello is 85. Blues musician Lazy Lester is 85. Movie director Stephen Frears is 77. Singer-songwriter Brian Wilson is 76. Actor John McCook is 74. Singer Anne Murray is 73. TV personality Bob Vila is 72. Musician Andre Watts is 72. Actress Candy Clark is 71. Producer Tina Sinatra is 70. Rhythm and blues singer Lionel Richie is 69. Actor John Goodman is 66. Rock musician Michael Anthony is 64. Pop musician John Taylor is 58. Rock musician Mark degli Antoni (de-GLI’-an-toh-nee) is 56. Christian rock musician Jerome Fontamillas (Switchfoot) is 51. Rock musician Murphy Karges (Sugar Ray) is 51. Actress Nicole Kidman is 51. Country/bluegrass singer-musician Dan Tyminski is 51. Movie director Robert Rodriguez is 50. Actor Peter Paige is 49. Actor Josh Lucas is 47. Rock musician Jeordie White (AKA Twiggy Ramirez) is 47. Rock singer Chino Moreno (Deftones) is 45. Country-folk singer-songwriter Amos Lee is 41. Country singer Chuck Wicks is 39. Actress Tika Sumpter is 38. Country musician Chris Thompson (The Eli Young Band) is 38. Actress-singer Alisan Porter is 37. Christian rock musician Chris Dudley (Underoath) is 35. Rock singer Grace Potter (Grace Potter & the Nocturnals) is 35. Actor Mark Saul is 33. Actress Dreama Walker is 32. Actor Chris Mintz-Plasse (plahs) is 29. Actress Maria Lark is 21.
Thought for Today: “A man’s errors are his portals of discovery.” — James Joyce, Irish poet (1882-1941).