TODAY IN HISTORY
In 1775, the U.S. Marines were organized under authority of the Continental Congress.
In 1871, journalist-explorer Henry M. Stanley found Scottish missionary David Livingstone, who had not been heard from for years, near Lake Tanganyika in central Africa.
In 1919, the American Legion opened its first national convention in Minneapolis.
In 1928, Hirohito was enthroned as Emperor of Japan.
In 1944, during World War II, the ammunition ship USS Mount Hood (AE-11) exploded while moored at the Manus Naval Base in the Admiralty Islands in the South Pacific, leaving 45 confirmed dead and 327 missing and presumed dead.
In 1951, customer-dialed long-distance telephone service began as Mayor M. Leslie Denning of Englewood, New Jersey, called Alameda, California, Mayor Frank Osborne without operator assistance.
In 1954, the U.S. Marine Corps Memorial, depicting the raising of the American flag on Iwo Jima in 1945, was dedicated by President Dwight D. Eisenhower in Arlington, Virginia.
In 1969, the children’s educational program “Sesame Street” made its debut on National Educational Television (later PBS).
In 1975, the U.N. General Assembly approved a resolution equating Zionism with racism (the world body repealed the resolution in Dec. 1991).
In 1982, the newly finished Vietnam Veterans Memorial was opened to its first visitors in Washington, D.C., three days before its dedication.
In 2005, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, a former finance minister of Liberia, claimed victory in the country’s presidential election.
In 2009, John Allen Muhammad, mastermind of the 2002 sniper attacks that killed 10 in the Washington, D.C. region, was executed.
In 2017, facing allegations of sexual misconduct, comedian Louis C.K. said the harassment claims by five women that were detailed in a New York Times report were true, and he expressed remorse for using his influence “irresponsibly.”
In 2021, Kyle Rittenhouse took the stand in his murder trial, testifying that he was under attack and acting in self-defense when he shot and killed two men and wounded a third during a turbulent night of street protests in Kenosha, Wisconsin. (He would be acquitted of all charges.)
BIRTHDAYS
Blues singer Bobby Rush is 89.
Actor Albert Hall is 86.
Country singer Donna Fargo is 82.
Former Sen. Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga., is 80.
Lyricist Tim Rice is 79.
Actor Jack Scalia is 73.
Movie director Roland Emmerich is 68.
Actor Matt Craven is 67.
Actor-comedian Sinbad is 67.
Actor Mackenzie Phillips is 64.
Author Neil Gaiman is 63.
Actor Vanessa Angel is 60.
Actor Hugh Bonneville is 60.
Actor-comedian Tommy Davidson is 60.
Actor Michael Jai White is 59.
Country singer Chris Cagle is 55.
Actor-comedian Tracy Morgan is 55.
Actor Ellen Pompeo is 54.
Actor-comedian Orny Adams is 53.
Rapper U-God is 53.
Rapper-producer Warren G is 53.
Actor Walton Goggins is 52.
Comedian-actor Chris Lilley is 49.
Contemporary Christian singer Matt Maher is 49.
Rock singer-musician Jim Adkins (Jimmy Eat World) is 48.
Rapper Eve is 45.
Rock musician Chris Joannou (Silverchair) is 44.
Actor Heather Matarazzo is 41.
Country singer Miranda Lambert is 40.
Actor Josh Peck is 37.
Pop singer Vinz Dery (Nico & Vinz) is 33.
Actor Genevieve Buechner is 32.
Actor Zoey Deutch (DOYCH) is 29.
Actor Kiernan Shipka is 24.
Actor Mackenzie Foy is 23.
