Today in History

Today is Saturday, Sept. 12, the 255th day of 2015. There are 110 days left in the year.

Today's Highlight in History:

On Sept. 12, 1962, in a speech at Rice University in Houston, President John F. Kennedy reaffirmed his support for the manned space program, declaring: "We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard."

On this date:

In 1814, the Battle of North Point took place in Maryland during the War of 1812 as American forces slowed British troops advancing on Baltimore.

In 1846, Elizabeth Barrett secretly married Robert Browning at St. Marylebone Church in London.

In 1914, during World War I, the First Battle of the Marne ended in an Allied victory against Germany.

In 1938, Adolf Hitler demanded the right of self-determination for the Sudeten Germans in Czechoslovakia.

In 1944, the Second Quebec Conference opened with President Franklin D. Roosevelt and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill in attendance.

In 1953, Massachusetts Sen. John F. Kennedy married Jacqueline Lee Bouvier in Newport, Rhode Island.

In 1960, Democratic presidential candidate John F. Kennedy addressed questions about his Roman Catholic faith, telling a Southern Baptist group, "I do not speak for my church on public matters, and the church does not speak for me."

In 1974, Emperor Haile Selassie was deposed by Ethiopia's military after ruling for 58 years.

In 1977, South African black student leader Steve Biko died while in police custody, triggering an international outcry.

In 1986, Joseph Cicippio, the acting comptroller at the American University in Beirut, was kidnapped (he was released in December 1991).

In 1995, the Belarusian military shot down a hydrogen balloon during an international race, killing its two American pilots, John Stuart-Jervis and Alan Fraenckel.

In 2000, Hillary Rodham Clinton became the first first lady to win an election as she claimed victory in the New York Democratic Senate primary, defeating little-known opponent Dr. Mark McMahon.

Ten years ago: Federal Emergency Management Agency director Mike Brown resigned, three days after losing his onsite command of the Hurricane Katrina relief effort. At the start of his confirmation hearing, Supreme Court nominee John Roberts pledged to judge with humility and "without fear or favor" if approved as the nation's 17th chief justice.

Five years ago: The United States won its first world basketball championship since 1994, beating Turkey 81-64 in Istanbul behind a sensational performance from tournament MVP Kevin Durant, who scored 28 points. Lady Gaga swept the MTV Video Music Awards with eight wins, wearing a dress made of meat as she accepted the video of the year award for "Bad Romance." Movie director Claude Chabrol, one of the founders of the French New Wave movement, died in Paris at age 80.

One year ago: A South African judge found Oscar Pistorius guilty of culpable homicide, or negligent killing, in the shooting death of girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp and declared the double-amputee Olympian not guilty of murder. Ian Paisley, 88, the divisive Protestant firebrand preacher who had devoted his life to thwarting compromise with Catholics in Northern Ireland only to became a pivotal peacemaker in his twilight years, died in Belfast.

Today's Birthdays: Actor Dickie Moore ("Our Gang") is 90. Actor Freddie Jones is 88. Actor Ian Holm is 84. U.S. Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif., is 76. Actress Linda Gray is 75. Singer Maria Muldaur is 73. Actor Joe Pantoliano is 64. Singer-musician Gerry Beckley (America) is 63. Original MTV VJ Nina Blackwood is 63. Rock musician Neil Peart (Rush) is 63. Actor Peter Scolari is 60. Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback is 59. Actress Rachel Ward is 58. Actress Amy Yasbeck is 53. Rock musician Norwood Fisher (Fishbone) is 50. Actor Darren E. Burrows is 49. Rock singer-musician Ben Folds (Ben Folds Five) is 49. Actor-comedian Louis (loo-ee) C.K. is 48. Rock musician Larry LaLonde (Primus) is 47. Golfer Angel Cabrera is 46. Actor-singer Will Chase is 45. Actor Josh Hopkins is 45. Country singer Jennifer Nettles is 41. Actress Lauren Stamile (TV: "Complications") is 39. Rapper 2 Chainz is 38. Actor Ben McKenzie is 37. Singer Ruben Studdard is 37. Basketball player Yao Ming is 35. Singer-actress Jennifer Hudson is 34. Actor Alfie Allen (TV: "Game of Thrones") is 29. Actress Emmy Rossum is 29. Country singer Kelsea Ballerini is 22. Actor Colin Ford is 19.

Thought for Today: "Hope, like faith, is nothing if it is not courageous; it is nothing if it is not ridiculous." -- Thornton Wilder, American playwright (1897-1975).

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