This day in history

[February 12, 2010]  (AP)  Today is Friday, Feb. 12, the 43rd day of 2010. There are 322 days left in the year.

Today's highlights in history:

On Feb. 12, 1809, Abraham Lincoln, the 16th president of the United States, was born in present-day Larue County, Ky. Naturalist Charles Darwin was born in Shrewsbury, England.

On this date:

In 1554, Lady Jane Grey, who'd claimed the throne of England for nine days, and her husband, Guildford Dudley, were beheaded after being condemned for high treason.

In 1795, the University of North Carolina became the first U.S. state university to admit students with the arrival of Hinton James, who was the only student on campus for two weeks.

In 1818, Chile officially proclaimed its independence, more than seven years after initially renouncing Spanish rule.

In 1908, the first round-the-world automobile race began in New York. (It ended in Paris the following July with the drivers of the American car, a Thomas Flyer, declared the winners over teams from Germany and Italy.)

In 1909, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People was founded.

In 1915, the cornerstone for the Lincoln Memorial was laid in Washington, D.C., a year to the day after groundbreaking.

In 1940, the radio play "The Adventures of Superman" debuted with Bud Collyer as the Man of Steel.

In 1959, the redesigned Lincoln penny -- with an image of the Lincoln Memorial replacing two ears of wheat on the reverse side -- went into circulation.

In 1973, Operation Homecoming began as the first release of American prisoners of war from the Vietnam conflict took place.

In 1999, the Senate voted to acquit President Bill Clinton of perjury and obstruction of justice; Clinton told Americans he was "profoundly sorry" for what he'd said and done in the Monica Lewinsky affair that triggered it all.

Ten years ago: Charles M. Schulz, creator of the "Peanuts" comic strip, died in Santa Rosa, Calif. at age 77. Hall-of-Fame football coach Tom Landry, who'd led the Dallas Cowboys to five Super Bowls, died in Irving, Texas, at age 75. Michelle Kwan won her third straight U.S. Figure Skating Championships crown, while Michael Weiss successfully defended the men's title during the competition in Cleveland.

Five years ago: Former presidential candidate Howard Dean was elected national Democratic chairman during the party's winter meeting. "The Gates," a 16-day art exhibit created by Christo and Jeanne-Claude, debuted in New York's Central Park with the unfurling of saffron-colored fabric banners suspended from 16-foot-high frames.

One year ago: Republican Sen. Judd Gregg of New Hampshire abruptly withdrew his nomination as President Barack Obama's Commerce Secretary. A Colgan Air commuter plane crashed into a suburban Buffalo, N.Y., home, killing all 49 aboard and a person in the house. (The victims included Alison Des Forges, 66, a noted expert on 1994 Rwanda genocide, and Gerry Niewood, 64, and Coleman Mellett, 34, members of Chuck Mangione's band.) Irish playwright Hugh Leonard ("Da") died in Dublin at age 82.

Today's birthdays: Movie director Franco Zeffirelli is 87. Actor Louis Zorich is 86. Baseball Hall-of-Fame sportscaster Joe Garagiola is 84. Sen. Arlen Specter, D-Pa., is 80. Basketball Hall-of-Famer Bill Russell is 76. Actor Joe Don Baker is 74. Author Judy Blume is 72. Rock musician Ray Manzarek (The Doors) is 71. Country singer Moe Bandy is 66. Actress Maud Adams is 65. Actor Cliff DeYoung is 64. Actor Michael Ironside is 60. Rock musician Steve Hackett is 60. Rock singer Michael McDonald is 58. Actress Joanna Kerns is 57. Actor-former talk show host Arsenio Hall is 55. Actor John Michael Higgins is 47. Actress Christine Elise is 45. Actor Josh Brolin is 42. Singer Chynna Phillips is 42. Rock musician Jim Creeggan (Barenaked Ladies) is 40. Rhythm-and-blues musician Keri Lewis is 39. Actor Jesse Spencer ("House, M.D.") is 31. Actress Sarah Lancaster is 30. Actress Christina Ricci is 30. Actress Jennifer Stone ("Wizards of Waverly Place") is 17.

Thought for today: "Human beings are the only creatures who are able to behave irrationally in the name of reason." -- Ashley Montagu, English anthropologist (1905-1999)

[Associated Press]

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