Today in History

Today is Thursday, May 26, the 147th day of 2016. There are 219 days left in the year.

Today's Highlight in History:

On May 26, 1521, Martin Luther was banned by the Edict of Worms (vohrms) because of his religious beliefs and writings.

On this date:

In 1868, the impeachment trial of President Andrew Johnson ended with his acquittal on the remaining charges.

In 1913, Actors' Equity Association was organized by a group of actors at the Pabst Grand Circle Hotel in New York.

In 1938, the House Un-American Activities Committee was established by Congress.

In 1940, Operation Dynamo, the evacuation of some 338,000 Allied troops from Dunkirk, France, began during World War II.

In 1941, the American Flag House, where Betsy Ross once lived, was donated to the city of Philadelphia.

In 1954, explosions rocked the aircraft carrier USS Bennington off Rhode Island, killing 103 sailors. (The initial blast was blamed on leaking catapult fluid ignited by the flames of a jet.)

In 1960, U.N. Ambassador Henry Cabot Lodge accused the Soviets during a meeting of the Security Council of hiding a microphone inside a wood carving of the Great Seal of the United States that had been presented to the U.S. Embassy in Moscow.

In 1969, the Apollo 10 astronauts returned to Earth after a successful eight-day dress rehearsal for the first manned moon landing.

In 1971, Don McLean recorded his song "American Pie" at The Record Plant in New York City (it was released the following November by United Artists Records).

In 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev signed the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty in Moscow. (The U.S. withdrew from the treaty in 2002.)

In 1981, 14 people were killed when a Marine jet crashed onto the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz off Florida.

In 1991, a Lauda Air Boeing 767 crashed in Thailand, killing all 223 people aboard.

Ten years ago: Air Force Gen. Michael Hayden won confirmation to be the 20th CIA director in a 78-15 Senate vote.

Five years ago: Congress passed a four-year extension of post-Sept. 11 powers contained in the Patriot Act to search records and conduct roving wiretaps in pursuit of terrorists; President Barack Obama, in France, signed the measure using an autopen machine minutes before the provisions were set to expire at midnight. Ratko Mladic (RAHT'-koh MLAH'-dich), the brutal Bosnian Serb general suspected of leading the massacre of 8,000 Muslim men and boys, was arrested after a 16-year manhunt. (Mladic was extradited to face trial in The Hague, Netherlands.)

One year ago: Challenging Hillary Rodham Clinton from the left, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders formally kicked off his Democratic presidential bid in Burlington, Vermont, with a pitch to liberals to join him in a "political revolution" to transform the nation's economy and politics.

Today's Birthdays: Actor Alec McCowen is 91. Sportscaster Brent Musberger is 77. Rock musician Garry Peterson (Guess Who) is 71. Singer Stevie Nicks is 68. Actress Pam Grier is 67. Actor Philip Michael Thomas is 67. Country singer Hank Williams Jr. is 67. British Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn is 67. Actress Margaret Colin is 59. Country singer-songwriter Dave Robbins is 57. Actor Doug Hutchison is 56. Actress Genie Francis is 54. Comedian Bobcat Goldthwait is 54. Singer-actor Lenny Kravitz is 52. Actress Helena Bonham Carter is 50. Distance runner Zola Budd is 50. Rock musician Phillip Rhodes is 48. Actor Joseph Fiennes is 46. Singer Joey Kibble (Take 6) is 45. Actor-producer-writer Matt Stone is 45. Contemporary Christian musician Nathan Cochran is 38. Actress Elisabeth Harnois is 37. Actor Hrach Titizian is 37.

Thought for Today: "I am never afraid of what I know." -- Anna Sewell, English author (1820-1878).