This day in history

[July 02, 2011]  (AP)  Today is Saturday, July 2, the 183rd day of 2011. There are 182 days left in the year.

Today's highlight in history:

On July 2, 1961, author Ernest Hemingway shot himself to death at his home in Ketchum, Idaho.

On this date:

In 1566, French astrologer, physician and professed prophesier Nostradamus died in Salon (sah-LOHN').

In 1776, the Continental Congress passed a resolution saying that "these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent States."

In 1881, President James A. Garfield was shot by Charles J. Guiteau at the Washington railroad station; Garfield died the following September. (Guiteau was hanged in June 1882.)

In 1926, the United States Army Air Corps was created.

In 1937, aviator Amelia Earhart and navigator Fred Noonan disappeared over the Pacific Ocean while attempting to make the first round-the-world flight along the equator.

In 1964, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed into law a sweeping civil rights bill passed by Congress.

In 1980, President Jimmy Carter signed a proclamation reviving draft registration.

In 1986, ruling in a pair of cases, the Supreme Court upheld affirmative action as a remedy for past job discrimination.

In 1991, actress Lee Remick died in Los Angeles at age 55.

In 1994, a USAir DC-9 crashed in poor weather at Charlotte-Douglas International Airport in North Carolina, killing 37 of the 57 people aboard.

Ten years ago: Robert Tools received the world's first self-contained artificial heart in Louisville, Ky. (He lived 151 days with the device.) Vice President Dick Cheney returned to work two days after receiving a new pacemaker.

Five years ago: Conservative free-trader Felipe Calderon (fay-LEE'-pay kahl-duh-ROHN') defeated leftist Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador (ahn-DRAYS' mahn-WEHL' LOH'-pez OH'-brah-dohr) by just 234,000 votes in Mexico's presidential election. Comic Jan Murray died in Beverly Hills, Calif., at age 89.

One year ago: Gen. David Petraeus arrived in Afghanistan to assume command of U.S. and NATO forces after his predecessor, Gen. Stanley McChrystal, was fired for intemperate remarks he'd made about Obama administration figures in Rolling Stone magazine. The United States defeated Japan 7-2 to win its seventh consecutive world softball championships. British novelist Beryl Bainbridge, 77, died in London.

Today's birthdays: Country singer Marvin Rainwater is 86. Former Philippine first lady Imelda Marcos is 82. Jazz musician Ahmad Jamal is 81. Actor Robert Ito is 80. Actress Polly Holliday is 74. Former White House chief of staff John H. Sununu is 72. Writer-director-comedian Larry David is 64. Luci Baines Johnson, daughter of President Lyndon B. Johnson, is 64. Actor Saul Rubinek is 63. Rock musician Roy Bittan (Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band) is 62. Rock musician Gene Taylor is 59. Actress-model Jerry Hall is 55. Actor Jimmy McNichol is 50. Country singer Guy Penrod is 48. Rock musician Dave Parsons (Bush) is 46. Actress Yancy Butler is 41. Contemporary Christian musician Melodee DeVevo (Casting Crowns) is 35. Actor Owain (OH'-wyn) Yeoman (TV: "The Mentalist") is 33. Race car driver Sam Hornish Jr. is 32. Singer Michelle Branch is 28. Actress Vanessa Lee Chester is 27. Figure skater Johnny Weir is 27. Actress-singer Ashley Tisdale is 26. Actress Lindsay Lohan (LOH'-uhn) is 25.

Thought for today: "The best way to find out if you can trust somebody is to trust them." -- Ernest Hemingway (1899-1961)

[Associated Press]

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