This day in history

[February 11, 2011]  (AP)  Today is Friday, Feb. 11, the 42nd day of 2011. There are 323 days left in the year.

Today's highlights in history:

On Feb. 11, 1861, President-elect Abraham Lincoln bade farewell to his adopted hometown of Springfield, Ill., as he headed to Washington for his inauguration. The same day, the U.S. House of Representatives unanimously adopted a resolution guaranteeing non-interference with slavery in any state.

On this date:

In 1812, Massachusetts Gov. Elbridge Gerry signed a re-districting law favoring his party -- giving rise to the term "gerrymandering."

In 1858, a French girl, Bernadette Soubirous (soo-bee-ROO'), reported the first of 18 visions of a lady dressed in white in a grotto near Lourdes. (The Catholic Church later accepted that the visions were of the Virgin Mary.)

In 1929, the Lateran Treaty was signed, with Italy recognizing the independence and sovereignty of Vatican City.

In 1937, a six-week-old sit-down strike against General Motors ended, with the company agreeing to recognize the United Automobile Workers Union.

In 1945, President Franklin D. Roosevelt, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and Soviet leader Josef Stalin signed the Yalta Agreement during World War II.

In 1960, "Tonight Show" host Jack Paar stunned his audience by walking off the program in a censorship dispute with NBC. (Despite his very public resignation, Paar returned to the "Tonight Show" less than a month later.)

In 1971, the Seabed Arms Control Treaty, which banned placement of weapons of mass destruction on the ocean floor beyond a 12-mile limit, was signed in Washington, London and Moscow.

In 1975, Margaret Thatcher was elected leader of Britain's opposition Conservative Party.

In 1979, followers of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini (hoh-MAY'-nee) seized power in Iran.

In 1990, South African black activist Nelson Mandela was freed after 27 years in captivity.

Ten years ago: Two space commanders opened the door to Destiny, the American-made science laboratory attached the day before to the International Space Station. The East NBA All-Stars stunned the West squad, 111-110. Three Rivers Stadium in Pittsburgh was demolished to clear the way for new separate baseball and football stadiums nearby.

Five years ago: Vice President Dick Cheney accidentally shot and wounded Harry Whittington, a companion during a weekend quail-hunting trip in Texas. American Chad Hedrick won the 5,000 meters in speedskating at the Olympics in Turin, Italy. "Jaws" author Peter Benchley died in Princeton, N.J., at age 65.

One year ago: Former President Bill Clinton had two stents inserted in one of his heart arteries after being hospitalized in New York with chest pains. Iranian security forces unleashed a crushing sweep against opposition protesters as President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (ah-muh-DEE'-neh-zhahd) used the 31st anniversary of the Islamic revolution to defy the West. British fashion designer Alexander McQueen, 40, was found dead in his London home.

Today's birthdays: Actor Conrad Janis is 83. Actress Tina Louise is 77. Actor Burt Reynolds is 75. Songwriter Gerry Goffin is 72. Actor Sonny Landham is 70. Bandleader Sergio Mendes is 70. Rhythm-and-blues singer Otis Clay is 69. Actor Philip Anglim is 59. Actress Catherine Hickland is 55. Rock musician David Uosikkinen (aw-SIK'-ken-ihn) (The Hooters) is 55. Actress Carey Lowell is 50. Singer Sheryl Crow is 49. Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin is 47. Actress Jennifer Aniston is 42. Actor Damian Lewis is 40. Actress Marisa Petroro is 39. Singer D'Angelo is 37. Actor Brice Beckham is 35. Rock M-C/vocalist Mike Shinoda (Linkin Park) is 34. Singer-actress Brandy is 32. Actor Matthew Lawrence is 31. Rhythm-and-blues singer Kelly Rowland is 30. Actress Q'orianka (kohr-ee-AHN'-kuh) Kilcher is 21. Actor Taylor Lautner is 19.

Thought for today: "Life does not count by years. Some suffer a lifetime in a day, and so grow old between the rising and the setting of the sun." -- Augusta Jane Evans, American novelist (1835-1909)

[Associated Press]

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