Today in History

Today is Sunday, Sept. 23, the 267th day of 2012. There are 99 days left in the year.

Today's Highlight in History:

On Sept. 23, 1952, Sen. Richard M. Nixon, R-Calif., salvaged his vice-presidential nomination by appearing live on television to refute allegations of improper campaign fundraising. (The address became known as the "Checkers" speech because of Nixon's on-air reference to the family pet, a dog named "Checkers.")

On this date:

In 1779, during the Revolutionary War, the American warship Bon Homme Richard, commanded by John Paul Jones, defeated the HMS Serapis in battle.

In 1780, British spy John Andre was captured along with papers revealing Benedict Arnold's plot to surrender West Point to the British.

In 1806, the Lewis and Clark expedition returned to St. Louis more than two years after setting out for the Pacific Northwest.

In 1846, Neptune was identified as a planet by German astronomer Johann Gottfried Galle.

In 1912, Mack Sennett's first Keystone short subject, a "split-reel" of two comedies both starring Mabel Normand and Ford Sterling ("Cohen Collects a Debt" and "The Water Nymph"), was released. Houston's William Marsh Rice Institute (later renamed Rice University), opened for classes on the 12th anniversary of Rice's death.

In 1932, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was founded.

In 1939, Sigmund Freud, the founder of psychoanalysis, died in London at age 83.

In 1949, President Harry S. Truman announced there was evidence the Soviet Union had recently conducted a nuclear test explosion. (The test had been carried out on Aug. 29, 1949.)

In 1957, nine black students who'd entered Little Rock Central High School in Arkansas were forced to withdraw because of a white mob outside.

In 1962, New York's Philharmonic Hall (later renamed Avery Fisher Hall) formally opened as the first unit of the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts. "The Jetsons," an animated cartoon series about a Space Age family, premiered as the ABC television network's first color program.

In 1973, former Argentine president Juan Peron won a landslide election victory that returned him to power; his wife, Isabel, was elected vice president.

In 1981, the Reagan administration announced plans for what became known as "Radio Marti."

Ten years ago: A defiant Yasser Arafat dug in at his besieged West Bank compound, rejecting Israel's demand to hand over the names of all those holed up inside. Gov. Gray Davis signed a law making California the first state to offer workers paid family leave.

Five years ago: Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad left Tehran for New York to address the United Nations; state media quoted him as saying the American people were eager for different opinions about the world, and that he was looking forward to providing them with "correct and clear information." Cuba published a photo of a standing, smiling Fidel Castro looking heavier but still gaunt as he met with Angola's president.

One year ago: Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas took his people's quest for independence to the United Nations, seeking the world body's recognition of Palestine and sidestepping negotiations that had foundered for nearly two decades. Pope Benedict XVI, visiting his native Germany, met with victims of sexual abuse by priests and expressed "deep compassion and regret," according to the Vatican. After 41 years, the soap opera "All My Children" broadcast its final episode on ABC-TV.

Today's Birthdays: Actor Mickey Rooney is 92. Actress Margaret Pellegrini ("The Wizard of Oz") is 89. Singer Julio Iglesias is 69. Actor Paul Petersen ("The Donna Reed Show") is 67. Actress-singer Mary Kay Place is 65. Rock star Bruce Springsteen is 63. Rock musician Leon Taylor (The Ventures) is 57. Actress Rosalind Chao is 55. Golfer Larry Mize is 54. Actor Jason Alexander is 53. Actress Elizabeth Pena is 53. Actor Chi McBride is 51. Country musician Don Herron (BR549) is 50. Actor Erik Todd Dellums is 48. Actress LisaRaye is 46. Singer Ani DiFranco is 42. Rock singer Sarah Bettens (K's Choice) is 40. Recording executive Jermaine Dupri is 40. Actor Kip Pardue is 36. Actor Anthony Mackie is 34. Pop singer Erik-Michael Estrada ("Making the Band") is 33. Actress Aubrey Dollar is 32. Tennis player Melanie Oudin is 21.

Thought for Today: "Each generation imagines itself to be more intelligent than the one that went before it, and wiser than the one that comes after it." -- George Orwell (Eric Blair), British author (1903-1950).

Copyright 2012, The Associated Press. All rights reserved.