Today in History

Today is Sunday, Aug. 26, the 239th day of 2012. There are 127 days left in the year.

Today's Highlight in History:

On Aug. 26, 1920, the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, guaranteeing American women the right to vote, was certified in effect by Secretary of State Bainbridge Colby.

On this date:

In 55 B.C., Roman forces under Julius Caesar invaded Britain, with only limited success.

In 1883, the island volcano Krakatoa began cataclysmic eruptions, leading to a massive explosion the following day.

In 1910, Thomas Edison demonstrated for reporters an improved version of his Kinetophone, a device for showing a movie with synchronized sound.

In 1936, the Anglo-Egyptian Treaty, calling for most British troops to leave Egypt, was signed in Montreux, Switzerland (it was abrogated by Egypt in 1951).

In 1958, Alaskans went to the polls to overwhelmingly vote in favor of statehood.

In 1961, the original Hockey Hall of Fame was opened in Toronto.

In 1964, President Lyndon B. Johnson was nominated for a term of office in his own right at the Democratic national convention in Atlantic City, N.J.

In 1968, the Democratic national convention opened in Chicago.

In 1971, New Jersey Gov. William T. Cahill announced that the New York Giants football team had agreed to leave Yankee Stadium for a new sports complex to be built in East Rutherford.

In 1972, the summer Olympics games opened in Munich, West Germany.

In 1978, Cardinal Albino Luciani of Venice was elected pope following the death of Paul VI. The new pontiff took the name Pope John Paul I. (However, he died just over a month later.)

In 1986, in the so-called "preppie murder case," 18-year-old Jennifer Levin was found strangled in New York's Central Park; Robert Chambers later pleaded guilty to manslaughter and served 15 years in prison.

Ten years ago: Vice President Dick Cheney, speaking at a Veterans of Foreign Wars convention in Tennessee, warned the United States could face devastating consequences from any delay in acting to remove Saddam Hussein as president of Iraq. The United Nations development and environmental summit opened in Johannesburg with a call from South African President Thabo Mbeki to end the divide between the rich and the poor.

Five years ago: Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki lashed out at American critics, saying Sen. Hillary Clinton and other Democrats who had called for his ouster should "come to their senses." The $95 million Hawaii Superferry made its maiden run from Oahu to Maui, the first passenger ferry service between the islands. (However, the ferry went out of business two years later.) Warner Robins, Ga., won the Little League World Series title with a 3-2 victory over Tokyo.

One year ago: More than 2 million people along the Eastern Seaboard were ordered to move to safer ground as Hurricane Irene approached the coast. A Boko Haram sect member detonated a car loaded with explosives at the United Nations headquarters in Nigeria's capital Abuja, killing 25 people and wounding more than 100 others.

Today's Birthdays: Former Washington Post Executive Editor Benjamin C. Bradlee is 91. Actress Francine York is 76. Singer Vic Dana is 70. Former Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge is 67. Rhythm-and-blues singer Valerie Simpson is 66. Pop singer Bob Cowsill is 63. Actor Brett Cullen is 56. NBA coach Stan Van Gundy is 53. Jazz musician Branford Marsalis is 52. Country musician Jimmy Olander (Diamond Rio) is 51. Actor Chris Burke is 47. Actress-singer Shirley Manson (Garbage) is 46. Rock musician Dan Vickrey (Counting Crowes) is 46. TV writer-actress Riley Weston is 46. Rock musician Adrian Young (No Doubt) is 43. Actress Melissa McCarthy is 42. Latin pop singer Thalia is 41. Rock singer-musician Tyler Connolly (Theory of a Deadman) is 37. Actor Macaulay Culkin is 32. Actor Chris Pine is 32. Rhythm-and-blues singer Cassie Ventura is 26. Actress Keke Palmer is 19.

Thought for Today: "When the political columnists say 'Every thinking man' they mean themselves, and when candidates appeal to 'Every intelligent voter' they mean everybody who is going to vote for them." -- Franklin P. Adams, American journalist-humorist (1881-1960).

Copyright 2012, The Associated Press. All rights reserved.