Today in History

Today is Friday, May 4, the 125th day of 2012. There are 241 days left in the year.

Today's Highlight in History:

On May 4, 1942, the Battle of the Coral Sea, the first naval clash fought entirely with carrier aircraft, began in the Pacific during World War II. (The outcome was considered a tactical victory for Imperial Japan, but ultimately a strategic one for the Allies.)

On this date:

In 1626, Dutch explorer Peter Minuit landed on present-day Manhattan Island.

In 1776, Rhode Island declared its freedom from England, two months before the Declaration of Independence was adopted.

In 1862, after a monthlong siege, Union forces prepared to unleash a massive bombardment against Confederate troops at Yorktown, Va., only to discover the Confederates had slipped away during the night.

In 1886, at Haymarket Square in Chicago, a labor demonstration for an 8-hour work day turned into a deadly riot when a bomb exploded.

In 1904, the United States took over construction of the Panama Canal.

In 1916, responding to a demand from President Woodrow Wilson, Germany agreed to limit its submarine warfare. (However, Germany resumed unrestricted submarine warfare the following year.)

In 1932, mobster Al Capone, convicted of income-tax evasion, entered the federal penitentiary in Atlanta. (Capone was later transferred to Alcatraz Island.)

In 1959, the first Grammy Awards ceremony was held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. Domenico Modugno won Record of the Year and Song of the Year for "Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu (Volare)"; Henry Mancini won Album of the Year for "The Music from Peter Gunn."

In 1961, the first group of "Freedom Riders" left Washington, D.C., to challenge racial segregation on interstate buses and in bus terminals.

In 1970, Ohio National Guardsmen opened fire during an anti-war protest at Kent State University, killing four students and wounding nine others.

In 1980, Marshal Josip Broz Tito, president of Yugoslavia, died three days before his 88th birthday.

In 1994, Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and PLO leader Yasser Arafat signed an accord on Palestinian autonomy that granted self-rule in the Gaza Strip and Jericho.

Ten years ago: A Nigerian airliner crashed in a suburb of Kano, Nigeria, just after takeoff, killing a total of 154 people on the plane and the ground. War Emblem, a 20-1 shot, scored a wire-to-wire, four-length victory over Proud Citizen in the Kentucky Derby.

Five years ago: A tornado destroyed most of Greensburg, Kan., killing at least 11 people. A judge sentenced hotel heiress Paris Hilton to 45 days in the Los Angeles County jail for violating probation in an alcohol-related reckless driving case by driving with a suspended license. (Hilton ended up serving three weeks.)

One year ago: President Barack Obama said he had decided not to release death photos of terrorist Osama bin Laden because their graphic nature could incite violence and create national security risks. Separately, officials told The Associated Press that the Navy SEALs who'd stormed bin Laden's compound in Pakistan shot and killed him after they saw him appear to lunge for a weapon. Los Angeles Clippers forward Blake Griffin was named the Rookie of the Year, becoming the NBA's first unanimous choice for the award in 21 years.

Today's Birthdays: The former president of Egypt, Hosni Mubarak, is 84. Opera singer Roberta Peters is 82. Jazz musician Ron Carter is 75. Rock musician Dick Dale is 75. Pop singer Peggy Santiglia (The Angels) is 68. Actor Richard Jenkins is 65. Country singer Stella Parton is 63. Actor-turned-clergyman Hilly Hicks is 62. Irish musician Darryl Hunt (The Pogues) is 62. Singer Jackie Jackson (The Jacksons) is 61. Rhythm-and-blues singer Oleta Adams is 59. Rhythm-and-blues singer Sharon Jones is 56. Country singer Randy Travis is 53. Actress Mary McDonough is 51. Comedian Ana Gasteyer is 45. Actor Will Arnett is 42. Rock musician Mike Dirnt (Green Day) is 40. Contemporary Christian singer Chris Tomlin is 40. TV personality and fashion designer Kimora Lee Simmons is 37. Rock musician Jose Castellanos is 35. Singer Lance Bass (‘N Sync) is 33. Actor Alexander Gould is 18. Actress Amara Miller (Film: "The Descendants") is 12.

Thought for Today: "Goodness, armed with power, is corrupted; and pure love without power is destroyed." -- Reinhold Niebuhr, American theologian (1892-1971).

Copyright 2012, The Associated Press. All rights reserved.