 Today's highlight in history:
On May 4, 1942, the Battle of the Coral Sea, the first naval clash
fought entirely with carrier aircraft, began in the Pacific during
World War II. (The outcome was considered a tactical victory for
Imperial Japan, but ultimately a strategic one for the Allies.)
On this date:
In 1626, Dutch explorer Peter Minuit landed on present-day Manhattan
Island.
In 1776, Rhode Island declared its freedom from England, two months
before the Declaration of Independence was adopted.
In 1862, after a monthlong siege, Union forces prepared to unleash a
massive bombardment against Confederate troops at Yorktown, Va.,
only to discover the Confederates had slipped away during the night.
In 1886, at Haymarket Square in Chicago, a labor demonstration for
an eight-hour workday turned into a deadly riot when a bomb exploded.
In 1904, the United States took over construction of the Panama
Canal.
In 1916, responding to a demand from President Woodrow Wilson,
Germany agreed to limit its submarine warfare. (However, Germany
resumed unrestricted submarine warfare the following year.)
In 1932, mobster Al Capone, convicted of income-tax evasion, entered
the federal penitentiary in Atlanta. (Capone was later transferred
to Alcatraz Island.)
In 1959, the first Grammy Awards ceremony was held at the Beverly
Hilton Hotel. Domenico Modugno won Record of the Year and Song of
the Year for "Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu (Volare)"; Henry Mancini won
Album of the Year for "The Music from Peter Gunn."
In 1961, the first group of "Freedom Riders" left Washington, D.C.,
to challenge racial segregation on interstate buses and in bus
terminals.
In 1970, Ohio National Guardsmen opened fire during an anti-war
protest at Kent State University, killing four students and wounding
nine others.
In 1980, Marshal Josip Broz Tito, president of Yugoslavia, died
three days before his 88th birthday.
In 1994, Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and PLO leader Yasser
Arafat signed an accord on Palestinian autonomy that granted
self-rule in the Gaza Strip and Jericho.
[to top of second column] |
Ten years ago: A Nigerian airliner crashed in a suburb of
Kano, Nigeria, just after takeoff, killing a total of 154 people on
the plane and the ground. War Emblem, a 20-1 shot, scored a
wire-to-wire, four-length victory over Proud Citizen in the Kentucky
Derby.
Five years ago: A tornado destroyed most of Greensburg, Kan.,
killing at least 11 people. A judge sentenced hotel heiress Paris
Hilton to 45 days in the Los Angeles County jail for violating
probation in an alcohol-related reckless driving case by driving
with a suspended license. (Hilton ended up serving three weeks.)
One year ago: President Barack Obama said he had decided not
to release death photos of terrorist Osama bin Laden because their
graphic nature could incite violence and create national security
risks. Separately, officials told The Associated Press that the Navy
SEALs who'd stormed bin Laden's compound in Pakistan shot and killed
him after they saw him appear to lunge for a weapon. Los Angeles
Clippers forward Blake Griffin was named the Rookie of the Year,
becoming the NBA's first unanimous choice for the award in 21 years.
Today's birthdays: The former president of Egypt, Hosni
Mubarak, is 84. Opera singer Roberta Peters is 82. Jazz musician Ron
Carter is 75. Rock musician Dick Dale is 75. Pop singer Peggy
Santiglia (The Angels) is 68. Actor Richard Jenkins is 65. Country
singer Stella Parton is 63. Actor-turned-clergyman Hilly Hicks is
62. Irish musician Darryl Hunt (The Pogues) is 62. Singer Jackie
Jackson (The Jacksons) is 61. Rhythm-and-blues singer Oleta Adams is
59. Rhythm-and-blues singer Sharon Jones is 56. Country singer Randy
Travis is 53. Actress Mary McDonough is 51. Comedian Ana Gasteyer is
45. Actor Will Arnett is 42. Rock musician Mike Dirnt (Green Day) is
40. Contemporary Christian singer Chris Tomlin is 40. TV personality
and fashion designer Kimora Lee Simmons is 37. Rock musician Jose
Castellanos is 35. Singer Lance Bass ('N Sync) is 33. Actor
Alexander Gould is 18. Actress Amara (uh-MAH'-ruh) Miller (Film:
"The Descendants") is 12.
Thought for today: "Goodness, armed with power, is corrupted;
and pure love without power is destroyed." -- Reinhold Niebuhr,
American theologian (1892-1971)
[Associated Press]
Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This
material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or
redistributed. |
