This day in history

[July 26, 2010]  (AP)  Today is Monday, July 26, the 207th day of 2010. There are 158 days left in the year.

Today's highlight in history:

On July 26, 1990, President George H.W. Bush signed into law the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.

On this date:

In 1775, Benjamin Franklin became America's first Postmaster-General.

In 1788, New York became the 11th state to ratify the U.S. Constitution.

In 1908, U.S. Attorney General Charles J. Bonaparte ordered creation of a force of special agents that was a forerunner of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

In 1945, Winston Churchill resigned as Britain's prime minister after his Conservatives were soundly defeated by the Labor Party. (Clement Attlee became the new prime minister.)

In 1947, President Harry S. Truman signed the National Security Act, which established the National Military Establishment (later renamed the Department of Defense).

In 1952, Argentina's first lady, Eva Peron, died in Buenos Aires at age 33.

In 1956, the Italian liner Andrea Doria sank off New England, some 11 hours after colliding with the Swedish liner Stockholm; at least 51 people died. Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser nationalized the Suez Canal.

In 1971, Apollo 15 was launched from Cape Kennedy on America's fourth manned mission to the moon.

In 1986, kidnappers in Lebanon released the Rev. Lawrence Martin Jenco, an American hostage held for nearly 19 months.

In 1989, Mark Wellman, a 29-year-old paraplegic, reached the summit of El Capitan in Yosemite (yoh-SEHM'-uh-tee) National Park after hauling himself up the granite cliff six inches at a time over nine days.

Ten years ago: George W. Bush and his just-chosen running mate, Dick Cheney, set out on their first campaign excursion together as they visited Cheney's former hometown of Casper, Wyo. A federal judge in New York approved a $1.25 billion settlement between Swiss banks and more than a-half million plaintiffs who alleged the banks had hoarded money deposited by Holocaust victims.

Five years ago: America's manned space program roared back to life with the launch of Discovery, 2 1/2 years after the Columbia disaster. Six nations resumed nuclear disarmament talks that North Korea had boycotted for 13 months, but little progress was made. Cubs pitcher Greg Maddux recorded his 3,000th career strikeout against San Francisco in the third inning of a 3-2, 11-inning victory for the Giants.

One year ago: Sarah Palin stepped down as governor of Alaska to write a book and build a right-of-center coalition, but left her long-term political plans unclear. A 36-year-old woman, driving the wrong way on the Taconic Parkway in Westchester County, N.Y., crashed into an SUV, killing eight people, including herself; toxicology tests showed Diane Schuler was drunk and had used marijuana. Alberto Contador won the Tour de France for the second time in three years; Lance Armstrong placed third. Rickey Henderson and Jim Rice were inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame along with the late Joe Gordon. Choreographer and dancer Merce Cunningham died in New York at age 90.

Today's birthdays: Actress Marjorie Lord is 92. Movie director Blake Edwards is 88. Actor James Best is 84. Rhythm-and-blues singer-songwriter Bobby Hebb is 72. Singer Dobie Gray is 70. Actress-singer Darlene Love is 69. Singer Brenton Wood is 69. Rock star Mick Jagger is 67. Movie director Peter Hyams is 67. Actress Helen Mirren is 65. Rock musician Roger Taylor (Queen) is 61. Actress Susan George is 60. Olympic gold medal figure skater Dorothy Hamill is 54. Actor Kevin Spacey is 51. Rock singer Gary Cherone (sher-OWN') is 49. Actress Sandra Bullock is 46. Rock singer Jim Lindberg (Pennywise) is 45. Actor Jeremy Piven is 45. Rapper-reggae singer Wayne Wonder is 44. Actor Jason Statham (STAY'-thum) is 43. Actor Cress Williams is 40. TV host Chris Harrison ("The Bachelor") is 39. Actress Kate Beckinsale is 37. Rock musician Dan Konopka (OK Go) is 36. Gospel/Contemporary Christian singer Rebecca St. James is 33. Christian rock musician Jamie Sharpe (Rush of Fools) is 21.

Thought for today: "A life spent making mistakes is not only more honorable, but more useful than a life spent doing nothing." -- George Bernard Shaw (born this date in 1856, died 1950)

[Associated Press]

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