This day in history

[February 07, 2011]  (AP)  Today is Monday, Feb. 7, the 38th day of 2011. There are 327 days left in the year.

Today's highlight in history:

On Feb. 7, 1936, President Franklin D. Roosevelt authorized a flag for the office of the vice president.

On this date:

In 1857, a French court acquitted author Gustave Flaubert of obscenity for his serialized novel "Madame Bovary."

In 1861, the general council of the Choctaw Indian nation adopted a resolution declaring allegiance with the South "in the event a permanent dissolution of the American Union takes place."

In 1904, a fire began in Baltimore that raged for about 30 hours and destroyed more than 1,500 buildings.

In 1931, aviator Amelia Earhart married publisher George P. Putnam in Noank, Conn.

In 1943, the government announced the start of shoe rationing, limiting consumers to buying three pairs per person for the remainder of the year.

In 1948, Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower resigned as Army chief of staff; he was succeeded by Gen. Omar Bradley.

In 1971, women in Switzerland gained the right to vote through a national referendum, 12 years after a previous attempt failed.

In 1984, space shuttle Challenger astronauts Bruce McCandless II and Robert L. Stewart went on the first untethered space walk, which lasted nearly six hours.

In 1991, Jean-Bertrand Aristide (zhahn behr-TRAHN' ahr-ihs-TEED') was inaugurated as the first democratically elected president of Haiti (however, he was overthrown by the military in Sept. 1991; he was restored in 1994).

In 1999, Jordan's King Hussein died of cancer at age 63; he was succeeded by his eldest son, Abdullah.

Ten years ago: The Senate voted to release $582 million in dues owed the United Nations. The space shuttle Atlantis blasted off on a trip to the international space station. Jean-Bertrand Aristide was sworn in as Haiti's president, five years after leaving office. Death claimed singer-actress Dale Evans at age 88 and author Anne Morrow Lindbergh, widow of aviator Charles Lindbergh, at age 94.

Five years ago: Some 10,000 mourners, including four U.S. presidents, said goodbye to Coretta Scott King during a service in Lithonia, Ga. Abu Hamza al-Masri (AH'-boo HAHM'-zuh ahl MAHZ'-ree), a radical Muslim cleric linked to 9/11 plotter Zacarias Moussaoui (zak-uh-REE'-uhs moo-SOW'-ee), was sentenced in London to seven years in prison for inciting followers to kill non-Muslims. Phoenix Coyotes assistant coach Rick Tocchet (TAH'-keht) was charged with financing a nationwide gambling ring based out of New Jersey. (Tocchet later pleaded guilty to promoting gambling and conspiracy to promote gambling and was sentenced to two years' probation.)

One year ago: A nearly completed Kleen Energy Systems power plant in Middletown, Conn., exploded, killing six people and injuring 50. Pro-Russian opposition leader Viktor Yanukovych (yah-noo-KOH'-vich) declared victory in Ukraine's presidential runoff, but his opponents rejected the claim, saying the vote was too close to call. (Yanukovych was inaugurated Feb. 25.) The New Orleans Saints rallied for a 31-17 Super Bowl victory over the Indianapolis Colts.

Today's birthdays: Country singer Wilma Lee Cooper is 90. Author Gay Talese is 79. Sen. Herb Kohl (D-Wis.) is 76. Actor Miguel Ferrer is 56. Reggae musician Brian Travers (UB40) is 52. Comedy writer Robert Smigel (SMY'-guhl) is 51. Actor James Spader is 51. Country singer Garth Brooks is 49. Rock musician David Bryan (Bon Jovi) is 49. Actor-comedian Eddie Izzard is 49. Actor-comedian Chris Rock is 46. Actor Jason Gedrick is 44. Actress Essence Atkins is 39. Rock singer-musician Wes Borland is 36. Actor Ashton Kutcher is 33. Actress Tina Majorino is 26.

Thought for today: "The time on either side of 'now' stands fast." -- Maxine Kumin, American poet

[Associated Press]

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.