This day in history

[June 25, 2010]  (AP)  Today is Friday, June 25, the 176th day of 2010. There are 189 days left in the year.

Today's highlight in history:

On June 25, 2009, death claimed Michael Jackson, the "King of Pop," in Los Angeles at age 50 and actress Farrah Fawcett in Santa Monica, Calif. at age 62.

On this date:

In 1788, Virginia ratified the U.S. Constitution.

In 1876, Lt. Col. Colonel George A. Custer and his Seventh Cavalry were wiped out by Sioux and Cheyenne Indians in the Battle of the Little Bighorn in Montana.

In 1906, architect Stanford White was shot to death atop New York's Madison Square Garden, which he had designed, by millionaire Harry K. Thaw, the jealous husband of Evelyn Nesbit. (Thaw was acquitted of murder by reason of insanity.)

In 1910, President William Howard Taft signed the White-Slave Traffic Act, more popularly known as the Mann Act, which made it illegal to transport women across state lines for "immoral" purposes. The ballet "The Firebird" with music by Igor Stravinsky was premiered in Paris by the Ballets Russes.

In 1938, the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 was enacted.

In 1942, some 1,000 British Royal Air Force bombers raided Bremen, Germany, during World War II.

In 1950, war broke out in Korea as forces from the communist North invaded the South.

In 1962, the Supreme Court, in Engel v. Vitale, ruled that recital of a state-sponsored prayer in New York State public schools was unconstitutional.

In 1973, former White House Counsel John W. Dean began testifying before the Senate Watergate Committee.

In 1990, African National Congress leader Nelson Mandela met with President George H.W. Bush at the White House.

Ten years ago: Live-fire training resumed on the Vieques (vee-AY'-kes), Puerto Rico, range in the largest naval exercises since a fatal accident prompted a yearlong occupation by protesters. Philip Morris announced it was buying Nabisco for $14.9 billion. South Korea marked the 50th anniversary of the start of the Korean War. Juli Inkster became the first player in 16 years to successfully defend the LPGA Championship.

Five years ago: Hardline Tehran mayor Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (mahk-MOOD' ah-muh-DEE'-neh-zhadh) was declared the winner of Iran's presidential runoff election. The NAACP selected retired Verizon executive Bruce S. Gordon to be its new president (however, Gordon abruptly resigned in March 2007).

One year ago: North Korea vowed to enlarge its atomic arsenal and warned of a "fire shower of nuclear retaliation" in the event of a U.S. attack, as the regime marked the 1950 outbreak of the Korean War.

Today's birthdays: Movie director Sidney Lumet (loo-MEHT') is 86. Actress June Lockhart is 85. Rhythm-and-blues singer Eddie Floyd is 73. Actress Barbara Montgomery is 71. Basketball Hall-of-Famer Willis Reed is 68. Writer-producer-director Gary David Goldberg is 66. Singer Carly Simon is 65. Rock musician Allen Lanier (Blue Oyster Cult) is 64. Rock musician Ian McDonald (Foreigner; King Crimson) is 64. Actor-comedian Jimmie Walker is 63. Actor-director Michael Lembeck is 62. TV personality Phyllis George is 61. Rock singer Tim Finn is 58. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor is 56. Rock musician David Paich (Toto) is 56. Actor Michael Sabatino is 55. Actor-writer-director Ricky Gervais (jer-VAYZ') is 49. Actor John Benjamin Hickey is 47. Rock singer George Michael is 47. Actress Erica Gimpel is 46. Former NBA player Dikembe Mutombo (dih-KEHM'-bay moo-TAHM'-boh) is 44. Rapper-producer Richie Rich is 43. Rapper Candyman is 42. Contemporary Christian musician Sean Kelly (Sixpence None the Richer) is 39. Actress Angela Kinsey (TV: "The Office") is 39. Rock musician Mike Kroeger (Nickelback) is 38. Rock musician Mario Calire is 36. Actress Linda Cardellini is 35. Actress Busy Philipps is 31.

Thought for today: "Fame will go by and, so long, I've had you, Fame. If it goes by, I've always known it was fickle. So at least it's something I experience, but that's not where I live." -- Marilyn Monroe, American actress (1926-1962)

[Associated Press]

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