Today in History

Today is Sunday, July 5, the 186th day of 2015. There are 179 days left in the year.

Today's Highlight in History:

On July 5, 1865, the Secret Service Division of the U.S. Treasury Department was founded in Washington D.C. with the mission of suppressing counterfeit currency.

On this date:

In 1687, Isaac Newton first published his Principia Mathematica, a three-volume work setting out his mathematical principles of natural philosophy.

In 1811, Venezuela became the first South American country to declare independence from Spain.

In 1935, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the National Labor Relations Act.

In 1940, during World War II, Britain and the Vichy government in France broke off diplomatic relations.

In 1946, the bikini, created by Louis Reard, was modeled by Micheline Bernardini during a poolside fashion show in Paris.

In 1947, Larry Doby made his debut with the Cleveland Indians, becoming the first black player in the American League.

In 1948, Britain's National Health Service Act went into effect, providing publicly-financed medical and dental care.

In 1954, Elvis Presley's first commercial recording session took place at Sun Records in Memphis, Tennessee; the song he recorded was "That's All Right."

In 1962, independence took effect in Algeria; the same day, civilians of European descent, mostly French, came under attack by extremists in the port city of Oran.

In 1975, Arthur Ashe became the first black man to win a Wimbledon singles title as he defeated Jimmy Connors, 6-1, 6-1, 5-7, 6-4. The Cape Verde Islands officially became independent after five centuries of Portuguese rule.

In 1984, the Supreme Court weakened the 70-year-old "exclusionary rule," deciding that evidence seized in good faith with defective court warrants could be used against defendants in criminal trials.

In 1991, a worldwide financial scandal erupted as regulators in eight countries shut down the Bank of Credit and Commerce International.

Ten years ago: President George W. Bush thanked Iraq war ally Denmark during a stopover in Copenhagen while en route to an international economic summit in Scotland. Hurricane Cindy moved ashore, pelting the Louisiana coast with sideways rain and intermittent squalls. Retired Vice Adm. and war hero James Stockdale, Ross Perot's 1992 presidential running mate, died in Coronado, California, at age 81.

Five years ago: Israel eased its blockade of Hamas-ruled Gaza to allow virtually all consumer goods; the move was welcomed by the White House, but Gaza business leaders and rights activists said the measures were far short of what Gaza needed. Opera singer Cesare Siepi, 87, died in Atlanta. David Fanshawe, a widely traveled British musical explorer best known as the composer of "African Sanctus," died in Wiltshire, England, at age 68.

One year ago: Ukrainian troops forced pro-Russian insurgents out of Slovyansk, a key stronghold in Ukraine's embattled east. Petra Kvitova overwhelmed Eugenie Bouchard 6-3, 6-0 in less than an hour to win Wimbledon for the second time.

Today's Birthdays: Actress Katherine Helmond is 86. Actress Shirley Knight is 79. Singer-musician Robbie Robertson is 72. Julie Nixon Eisenhower is 67. Rock star Huey Lewis is 65. Baseball Hall-of-Fame pitcher Rich "Goose" Gossage is 64. Country musician Charles Ventre is 63. Singer-songwriter Marc Cohn is 56. Actor John Marshall Jones is 53. Actor Dorien Wilson is 53. Actress Edie Falco is 52. Actress Jillian Armenante is 51. Actress Kathryn Erbe is 50. Actor Michael Stuhlbarg is 47. Country musician Brent Flynn (Flynnville Train) is 46. Rapper RZA is 46. Rhythm-and-blues singer Joe is 42. Rock musician Bengt Lagerberg (The Cardigans) is 42. Actor Dale Godboldo is 40. Rapper Bizarre is 39. Rapper Royce da 5'9" is 38. Rock singer Jason Wade (Lifehouse) is 35. Actor Ryan Hansen is 34. Country musician Dave Haywood (Lady Antebellum) is 33. Rock musician Nick O'Malley (Arctic Monkeys) is 30. Actor Jason Dolley is 24.

Thought for Today: "Never let your sense of morals prevent you from doing what is right." -- Isaac Asimov, American author (1920-1992).

Copyright 2015, The Associated Press. All rights reserved.