Today in History

Today is Wednesday, May 29, the 149th day of 2013. There are 216 days left in the year.

Today's Highlights in History:

On May 29, 1913, the ballet "Le Sacre du printemps" (The Rite of Spring), with music by Igor Stravinsky and choreography by Vaslav Nijinsky, had its chaotic world premiere in Paris. The D.H. Lawrence novel "Sons and Lovers" was first published by Duckworth & Co. of London, albeit in an expurgated version.

On this date:

In 1765, Patrick Henry denounced the Stamp Act before Virginia's House of Burgesses.

In 1790, Rhode Island became the 13th original colony to ratify the United States Constitution.

In 1848, Wisconsin became the 30th state of the union.

In 1912, the ballet "L'Apres-midi d'un Faune" (The Afternoon of a Faun), with music by Claude Debussy, premiered in Paris with Vaslav Nijinsky dancing the title role.

In 1917, the 35th president of the United States, John F. Kennedy, was born in Brookline, Mass.

In 1932, World War I veterans began arriving in Washington to demand cash bonuses they weren't scheduled to receive until 1945.

In 1943, Norman Rockwell's portrait of "Rosie the Riveter" appeared on the cover of The Saturday Evening Post.

In 1953, Mount Everest was conquered as Edmund Hillary of New Zealand and Tensing Norgay of Nepal became the first climbers to reach the summit.

In 1961, a couple in Paynesville, W.Va., became the first recipients of food stamps under a pilot program created by President John F. Kennedy.

In 1973, Tom Bradley was elected the first black mayor of Los Angeles, defeating incumbent Sam Yorty.

In 1985, 39 people were killed at the European Cup Final in Brussels, Belgium, when rioting broke out and a wall separating British and Italian soccer fans collapsed.

In 1987, a jury in Los Angeles acquitted "Twilight Zone" movie director John Landis and four associates of involuntary manslaughter in the movie-set deaths of actor Vic Morrow and two child actors, 7-year-old Myca Dinh Le and 6-year-old Renee Shin-Yi Chen, who were killed by a falling helicopter.

Ten years ago: President George W. Bush, in a wide-ranging interview with reporters at the White House, repeated his defense of the U.S.-led war in Iraq, and hinted that relations with France remained scarred over its opposition to the war. AOL Time Warner and Microsoft announced a settlement in their battle over Internet browsers, with the software giant agreeing to pay AOL $750 million.

Five years ago: In a crushing blow to Texas' massive seizure of children from a polygamist sect's ranch, the state Supreme Court ruled that child welfare officials had overstepped their authority and that the children should go back to their parents. Actor-comedian Harvey Korman, Emmy winner for "The Carol Burnett Show," died in Los Angeles at age 81.

One year ago: Mitt Romney clinched the Republican presidential nomination with a win in the Texas primary. Serena Williams lost in the first round of a major tournament for the first time, falling to Virginie Razzano of France 4-6, 7-6 (5), 6-3 at the French Open. Doc Watson, the Grammy-award winning folk musician whose lightning-fast style of flatpicking influenced guitarists around the world for more than a half-century, died in Winston-Salem, N.C., at age 89.

Today's Birthdays: Actor Clifton James is 92. Former Baseball Commissioner Fay Vincent is 75. Race car driver Al Unser is 74. CBS News Correspondent Bob Simon is 72. Actor Kevin Conway is 71. Actor Helmut Berger is 69. Rock singer Gary Brooker (Procol Harum) is 68. Actor Anthony Geary is 66. Actor Cotter Smith is 64. Singer Rebbie (ree-bee) Jackson is 63. Movie composer Danny Elfman is 60. Rock musician Michael Porcaro (Toto) is 58. Singer LaToya Jackson is 57. Actor Ted Levine is 56. Actress Annette Bening is 55. Actor Rupert Everett is 54. Actor Adrian Paul is 54. Singer Melissa Etheridge is 52. Actress Lisa Whelchel is 50. Actress Tracey Bregman is 50. Rock musician Noel Gallagher is 46. Singer Jayski McGowan (Quad City DJ's) is 46. Rock musician Chan Kinchla (Blues Traveler) is 44. Rock musician Mark Lee (Third Day) is 40. Cartoonist Aaron McGruder ("The Boondocks") is 39. Singer Melanie Brown (Spice Girls) is 38. Rapper Playa Poncho is 38. Actor Brandon Mychal Smith is 24.

Thought for Today: "There is no avant-garde; only some people a bit behind." -- Edgard Varese, French composer (1883-1965).

Copyright 2013, The Associated Press. All rights reserved.