This day in history

[August 06, 2010]  (AP)  Today is Friday, Aug. 6, the 218th day of 2010. There are 147 days left in the year.

Today's highlight in history:

On Aug. 6, 1945, during World War II, the United States dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan, resulting in an estimated 140,000 deaths in the first use of a nuclear weapon in warfare.

On this date:

In 1806, the Holy Roman Empire went out of existence as Emperor Francis II abdicated.

In 1809, one of the leading literary figures of the Victorian era, poet Alfred, Lord Tennyson, was born in Somersby, Lincolnshire, England.

In 1825, Upper Peru became the autonomous republic of Bolivia.

In 1859, the Australian passenger ship SS Admella, en route from Port Adelaide to Melbourne, struck a reef off South Australia and broke apart; of the 113 people on board, only 24 survived.

In 1890, convicted murderer William Kemmler became the first person to be executed in the electric chair as he was put to death at Auburn State Prison in New York.

In 1926, Gertrude Ederle of New York became the first woman to swim the English Channel, arriving in Kingsdown, England, from France in 14 1/2 hours.

In 1962, Jamaica became an independent dominion within the British Commonwealth.

In 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act.

In 1978, Pope Paul VI died at Castel Gandolfo at age 80.

In 1986, William J. Schroeder (SHRAY'-dur) died after living 620 days with the Jarvik 7 artificial heart.

Ten years ago: Workers at Verizon (vuh-RY'-zuhn) Communications went on an 18-day strike over working conditions and union representation.

Five years ago: Anti-war activist Cindy Sheehan, whose soldier son, Casey, was killed in Iraq, began a weeks-long protest outside President George W. Bush's Texas ranch. Former British Foreign Secretary Robin Cook, who'd quit Prime Minister Tony Blair's Cabinet to protest the Iraq war, died in Inverness, Scotland, at age 59. A Tunisian airliner plunged into the Mediterranean while trying to make an emergency landing in Sicily; 16 of the 39 people aboard were killed.

One year ago: Sonia Sotomayor was confirmed as the first Hispanic Supreme Court justice by a Senate vote of 68-31. John Hughes, 59, Hollywood's youth movie director of the 1980s and '90s, died in New York City. Sam, the 4-year-old koala who'd gained worldwide fame and sympathy when she was rescued during devastating wildfires in Australia, was euthanized after a veterinarian found the cysts that threatened her life were inoperable.

Today's birthdays: Former tennis player Pauline Betz is 91. Actress-singer Abbey Lincoln is 80. Jazz musician Charlie Haden is 73. Actor-director Peter Bonerz is 72. Actor Michael Anderson Jr. is 67. Actor Ray Buktenica is 67. Actor Dorian Harewood is 60. Actress Catherine Hicks is 59. Rock singer Pat MacDonald (Timbuk 3) is 58. Country musician Mark DuFresne (Confederate Railroad) is 57. Actress Stepfanie Kramer is 54. Actress Faith Prince is 53. Rhythm-and-blues singer Randy DeBarge is 52. Actor Leland Orser is 50. Country singers Patsy and Peggy Lynn are 46. Basketball Hall of Famer David Robinson is 45. Actor Jeremy Ratchford is 45. Country singer Lisa Stewart is 42. Movie writer-director M. Night Shyamalan (SHAH'-mah-lahn) is 40. Actress Merrin Dungey is 39. Singer Geri Halliwell is 38. Actor Jason O'Mara is 38. Singer-actor David Campbell is 37. Actress Vera Farmiga is 37. Actress Ever (cq) Carradine is 36. Actress Soleil (soh-LAY') Moon Frye is 34. Rock singer Travis McCoy (Gym Class Heroes) is 29. Rock musician Eric Roberts (Gym Class Heroes) is 26.

Thought for today: "A successful lie is doubly a lie; an error which has to be corrected is a heavier burden than the truth." -- Dag Hammarskjold, U.N. Secretary-General (1905-1961)

[Associated Press]

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