This day in history

[February 12, 2011]  (AP)  Today is Saturday, Feb. 12, the 43rd day of 2011. There are 322 days left in the year.

Today's highlight in history:

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

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.

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.

Ten years ago: The NEAR spacecraft touched down on Eros, completing the first landing on an asteroid. Scientists in Rockville, Md., reported they had largely deciphered the genetic code of the mouse. A federal appeals court ruled the Internet service Napster had to prevent users from swapping copyrighted music without charge. A computer virus pretending to be a digital photo of tennis star Anna Kournikova overwhelmed e-mail servers in Europe and North America.

Five years ago: A record 26.9 inches of snow fell in New York's Central Park over a two-day period. Figure skater Michelle Kwan effectively retired from competition as she withdrew from the Turin Olympics due to injury (she was replaced on the U.S. team by Emily Hughes). Snowboarder Shaun White beat American teammate Danny Kass to win the Olympic gold medal.

One year ago: On the day the Winter Olympics opened in Vancouver, British Columbia, Nodar Kumaritashvili (noh-DAHR' KOO'-mah-ree-tahsh-VEE'-lee), a 21-year-old luger from the republic of Georgia, was killed in a high-speed crash during a practice run. Three University of Alabama-Huntsville professors were gunned down during a faculty meeting; police charged neurobiologist Amy Bishop with capital murder.

Today's birthdays: Movie director Franco Zeffirelli is 88. Actor Louis Zorich is 87. Baseball Hall-of-Fame sportscaster Joe Garagiola is 85. Former Sen. Arlen Specter, D-Pa., is 81. Basketball Hall-of-Famer Bill Russell is 77. Actor Joe Don Baker is 75. Author Judy Blume is 73. Rock musician Ray Manzarek (The Doors) is 72. Country singer Moe Bandy is 67. Actress Maud Adams is 66. Actor Cliff DeYoung is 65. Actor Michael Ironside is 61. Rock musician Steve Hackett is 61. Rock singer Michael McDonald is 59. Actress Joanna Kerns is 58. Actor-former talk show host Arsenio Hall is 56. Actor John Michael Higgins is 48. Actress Christine Elise is 46. Actor Josh Brolin is 43. Singer Chynna Phillips is 43. Rock musician Jim Creeggan (Barenaked Ladies) is 41. Rhythm-and-blues musician Keri Lewis is 40. Actor Jesse Spencer ("House, M.D.") is 32. Actress Sarah Lancaster is 31. Actress Christina Ricci is 31. Actress Jennifer Stone ("Wizards of Waverly Place") is 18.

Thought for today: "No man is good enough to govern another man without that other's consent." -- Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865)

[Associated Press]

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