Today in History

Today is Friday, May 6, the 127th day of 2016. There are 239 days left in the year.

Today's Highlight in History:

On May 6, 1891, electrician Irwin "Ike" H. Hoover began installing the first electrical wiring in the White House during the administration of President Benjamin Harrison. (Hoover ended up being offered a full-time job as White House electrician, which he accepted; he later became the White House chief usher.)

On this date:

In 1889, the Paris Exposition formally opened, featuring the just-completed Eiffel Tower.

In 1910, Britain's Edwardian era ended with the death of King Edward VII; he was succeeded by George V.

In 1935, the Works Progress Administration began operating under an executive order signed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt.

In 1937, the hydrogen-filled German airship Hindenburg burned and crashed in Lakehurst, New Jersey, killing 35 of the 97 people on board and a Navy crewman on the ground.

In 1941, Josef Stalin assumed the Soviet premiership, replacing Vyacheslav M. Molotov. Comedian Bob Hope did his first USO show before an audience of servicemen as he broadcast his radio program from March Field in Riverside, California.

In 1942, during World War II some 15,000 Americans and Filipinos on Corregidor surrendered to Japanese forces.

In 1954, medical student Roger Bannister broke the four-minute mile during a track meet in Oxford, England, in 3:59.4.

In 1960, Britain's Princess Margaret married Antony Armstrong-Jones, a commoner, at Westminster Abbey. (They divorced in 1978.)

In 1966, The Rolling Stones single "Paint It, Black" was released in the U.S. by London Records (some sources say May 7).

In 1981, Yale architecture student Maya Ying Lin was named winner of a competition to design the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.

In 1994, former Arkansas state worker Paula Jones filed suit against President Bill Clinton, alleging he'd sexually harassed her in 1991. (Jones reached a settlement with Clinton in November 1998.) Britain's Queen Elizabeth II and French President Francois Mitterrand formally opened the Channel Tunnel between their countries.

In 2001, Pope John Paul II, during a visit to Syria, became the first pope to enter a mosque as he called for brotherhood between Christians and Muslims. American businessman Dennis Tito ended the world's first paid space vacation as he returned to Earth aboard a Russian capsule.

Ten years ago: A British military helicopter apparently hit by a missile crashed in Basra, Iraq, killing four crew members. Barbaro won the Kentucky Derby. Lillian Gertrud Asplund, the last American survivor of the sinking of the Titanic, died in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts, at age 99.

Five years ago: Brimming with pride, President Barack Obama met with the U.S. commandos he'd sent after terror mastermind Osama bin Laden during a visit to Fort Campbell, Kentucky. Al-Qaida vowed to keep fighting the United States and avenge the death of bin Laden, which it acknowledged for the first time in an Internet statement.

One year ago: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu completed formation of a new governing coalition. The NFL released a 243-report on "Deflategate" that stopped short of calling Patriots quarterback Tom Brady a cheater, but did call some of his claims "implausible" and left little doubt that he'd had a role in having footballs deflated before New England's AFC title game against Indianapolis and probably in previous games. Former U.S. House Speaker Jim Wright, 92, died in Fort Worth, Texas. Errol Brown, 71, lead singer of the band Hot Chocolate, died in the Bahamas.

Today's Birthdays: Baseball Hall-of-Famer Willie Mays is 85. Sen. Richard Shelby, R-Ala., is 82. Rock singer Bob Seger is 71. Singer Jimmie Dale Gilmore is 71. Gospel singer-comedian Lulu Roman is 70. Actor Alan Dale is 69. Actor Ben Masters is 69. Actor Richard Cox is 68. Actor Gregg Henry is 64. Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair is 63. TV personality Tom Bergeron is 61. Actress Roma Downey is 56. Rock singer John Flansburgh (They Might Be Giants) is 56. Actress Julianne Phillips is 56. Actor-director George Clooney is 55. Actor Clay O'Brien is 55. Rock singer-musician Tony Scalzo (Fastball) is 52. Actress Leslie Hope is 51. Rock musician Mark Bryan (Hootie and the Blowfish) is 49. Rock musician Chris Shiflett (Foo Fighters) is 45. Actress Stacey Oristano is 37. Model/TV personality Tiffany Coyne (TV: "Let's Make a Deal") is 34. Actress Adrianne Palicki is 33. Actress Gabourey Sidibe is 33. Actress-comedian Sasheer Zamata is 30. Actress-singer Naomi Scott is 23.

Thought for Today: "To know your ruling passion, examine your castles in the air." -- Richard Whately, English clergyman (1787-1863).