Today in History

Today is Saturday, Feb. 4, the 35th day of 2012. There are 331 days left in the year.

Today's Highlight in History:

On Feb. 4, 1962, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital was founded in Memphis, Tenn., by entertainer Danny Thomas.

On this date:

In 1783, Britain's King George III proclaimed a formal cessation of hostilities in the American Revolutionary War.

In 1789, electors chose George Washington to be the first president of the United States.

In 1861, delegates from six southern states that had recently seceded from the Union met in Montgomery, Ala., to form the Confederate States of America.

In 1932, New York Gov. Franklin D. Roosevelt opened the Winter Olympic Games at Lake Placid.

In 1941, the United Service Organizations (USO) came into existence.

In 1962, a rare conjunction of the Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn occurred.

In 1972, Mariner 9, orbiting Mars, transmitted images of the red planet.

In 1974, newspaper heiress Patricia Hearst was kidnapped in Berkeley, Calif., by the Symbionese Liberation Army.

In 1976, more than 23,000 people died when a severe earthquake struck Guatemala with a magnitude of 7.5, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

In 1982, President Ronald Reagan announced a plan to eliminate all medium-range nuclear missiles in Europe.

In 1983, pop singer-musician Karen Carpenter died in Downey, Calif., at age 32.

In 1987, pianist Liberace died at his Palm Springs, Calif., home at age 67.

Ten years ago: President George W. Bush proposed a $2.13 trillion budget, including billions for fighting terrorism. The World Economic Forum concluded five days of meetings in New York. Activists in Porto Alegre, Brazil, concluded their World Social Forum, held as a counter to the gathering in New York. Former Enron chairman and chief executive Kenneth Lay resigned from the board, cutting his last tie to the company beyond stock ownership.

Five years ago: The Indianapolis Colts won Super Bowl XLI (41), beating the Chicago Bears 29-17. Singer-actress Barbara McNair died in Los Angeles at age 72.

One year ago: President Barack Obama appealed to Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak to focus on his legacy and begin an orderly process to relinquish the power he'd held for 30 years; however, Obama stopped short of calling for Mubarak's immediate resignation. Iraq's prime minister, Nouri al-Maliki, said he would return half of his annual salary to the public treasury in a symbolic gesture that appeared calculated to insulate him against anti-government unrest spreading across the Middle East.

Today's Birthdays: Actor William Phipps is 90. Actor Conrad Bain is 89. Former Argentinian President Isabel Peron is 81. Comedian David Brenner is 76. Actor Gary Conway is 76. Movie director George A. Romero is 72. Rock musician John Steel (The Animals) is 71. Singer Florence LaRue (The Fifth Dimension) is 68. Former Vice President Dan Quayle is 65. Rock singer Alice Cooper is 64. Actor Michael Beck is 63. Actress Lisa Eichhorn is 60. Football Hall-of-Famer Lawrence Taylor is 53. Rock singer Tim Booth is 52. Rock musician Henry Bogdan is 51. Country singer Clint Black is 50. Rock musician Noodles (The Offspring) is 49. Country musician Dave Buchanan (Yankee Grey) is 46. Actress Gabrielle Anwar is 42. Actor Rob Corddry is 41. Singer David Garza is 41. Actor Michael Goorjian is 41. Boxer Oscar De La Hoya is 39. Rock musician Rick Burch (Jimmy Eat World) is 37. Singer Natalie Imbruglia is 37. Rapper Cam'ron is 36. Rock singer Gavin DeGraw is 35. Olympic gold medal gymnast-turned-singer Carly Patterson is 24.

Thought for Today: "The test of the morality of a society is what it does for its children." -- Dietrich Bonhoeffer, German theologian (1906-1945).

Copyright 2012, The Associated Press. All rights reserved.