Today in History

Today is Sunday, September 7, the 250th day of 2014. There are 115 days left in the year.

Today's Highlight in History:

On September 7, 1964, the controversial "Daisy" commercial for President Lyndon Johnson's election campaign aired on NBC-TV. (The ad, featuring a little girl plucking flower petals followed by footage of a nuclear explosion, was perceived as an attack on Republican nominee Barry Goldwater, who is never shown or mentioned.)

On this date:

In 1533, England's Queen Elizabeth I was born in Greenwich.

In 1812, the Battle of Borodino took place as French troops clashed with Russian forces outside Moscow. (The battle, ultimately won by Russia, was commemorated by composer Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky's "1812 Overture.")

In 1825, the Marquis de Lafayette, the French hero of the American Revolution, bade farewell to President John Quincy Adams at the White House.

In 1907, the British liner RMS Lusitania set out from Liverpool, England, on its maiden voyage, arriving six days later in New York.

In 1927, American television pioneer Philo T. Farnsworth, 21, succeeded in transmitting the image of a line through purely electronic means with a device called an "image dissector."

In 1940, Nazi Germany began its eight-month blitz of Britain during World War II with the first air attack on London.

In 1957, the original animated version of the NBC-TV peacock logo, used to denote programs "brought to you in living color," made its debut at the beginning of "Your Hit Parade."

In 1963, the National Professional Football Hall of Fame was dedicated in Canton, Ohio.

In 1968, feminists protested outside the Miss America pageant in Atlantic City, New Jersey. (The pageant crown went to Miss Illinois Judith Ford.)

In 1977, the Panama Canal treaties, calling for the U.S. to eventually turn over control of the waterway to Panama, were signed in Washington by President Jimmy Carter and Panamanian leader Omar Torrijos.

In 1986, Desmond Tutu was installed as the first black clergyman to lead the Anglican Church in southern Africa.

In 1996, rapper Tupac Shakur was shot and mortally wounded on the Las Vegas Strip; he died six days later.

Ten years ago: An Associated Press tally showed that U.S. military deaths in the Iraq campaign had passed the 1,000 mark. Former Mississippi Gov. Kirk Fordice died in Jackson at age 70.

Five years ago: Addressing a Labor Day picnic in Cincinnati, President Barack Obama declared that modern benefits like paid leave, minimum wage and Social Security "all bear the union label" as he appealed to organized labor to help him win the health care fight in Congress. Three British Muslims were convicted in London of plotting to murder thousands by downing at least seven airliners bound for the U.S. and Canada. The Pittsburgh Pirates were assured of a record-breaking 17th straight losing season as they fell to the Chicago Cubs 4-2. (The Pirates would go on to have three more consecutive losing seasons before breaking the streak in 2013.)

One year ago: Tony Abbott's conservative Liberal-led party won a crushing victory in Australia against the center-left Labor Party which had ruled for six years. Tokyo was awarded the 2020 Summer Olympics, defeating Istanbul in the final round of secret voting by the International Olympic Committee.

Today's Birthdays: Jazz musician Sonny Rollins is 84. Actor Bruce Gray is 78. Singer Alfa Anderson (Chic) is 68. Actress Susan Blakely is 66. Singer Gloria Gaynor is 65. Rock singer Chrissie Hynde (The Pretenders) is 63. Actress Julie Kavner is 63. Rock musician Benmont Tench (Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers) is 61. Actor Corbin Bernsen is 60. Actor Michael Emerson is 60. Pianist Michael Feinstein is 58. Singer Margot Chapman is 57. Actress J. Smith-Cameron (TV: "Rectify") is 57. Actor W. Earl Brown is 51. Actor Toby Jones is 48. Model-actress Angie Everhart is 45. Actress Diane Farr is 45. Country singer Butter (Trailer Choir) is 44. Actress Monique Gabriela Curnen is 44. Actor Tom Everett Scott is 44. Rock musician Chad Sexton (311) is 44. Actress Shannon Elizabeth is 41. Actor Oliver Hudson is 38. Actor Devon Sawa is 36. Singer-musician Wes Willis (Rush of Fools) is 28. Actress Evan Rachel Wood is 27.

Thought for Today: "Nothing is more unpleasant than a virtuous person with a mean mind." -- Walter Bagehot, English editor and economist (1826-1877).

Copyright 2014, The Associated Press. All rights reserved.