Today in History

Today in History

Today is Friday, June 24, the 176th day of 2016. There are 190 days left in the year.

Today's Highlight in History:

On June 24, 1946, Fred M. Vinson was sworn in as the 13th chief justice of the United States, succeeding the late Harlan F. Stone.

On this date:

In 1509, Henry VIII was crowned king of England; his wife, Catherine of Aragon, was crowned queen consort.

In 1793, the first republican constitution in France was adopted.

In 1880, "O Canada," the future Canadian national anthem, was first performed in Quebec City.

In 1908, Grover Cleveland, the 22nd and 24th president of the United States, died in Princeton, New Jersey, at age 71.

In 1939, the Southeast Asian country Siam changed its name to Thailand. (It went back to being Siam in 1945, then became Thailand once again in 1949.)

In 1940, France signed an armistice with Italy during World War II.

In 1948, Communist forces cut off all land and water routes between West Germany and West Berlin, prompting the western allies to organize the Berlin Airlift.

In 1964, AT&T inaugurated commercial "Picturephone" service between New York, Chicago and Washington, D.C. (the service, however, never caught on).

In 1968, "Resurrection City," a shantytown constructed as part of the Poor People's March on Washington, D.C., was closed down by authorities.

In 1975, 113 people were killed when Eastern Airlines Flight 66, a Boeing 727 carrying 124 people, crashed while attempting to land during a thunderstorm at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport.

In 1983, the space shuttle Challenger -- carrying America's first woman in space, Sally K. Ride -- coasted to a safe landing at Edwards Air Force Base in California.

In 1990, Health and Human Services Secretary Louis Sullivan was virtually drowned out by jeering demonstrators as he addressed the Sixth International AIDS conference in San Francisco.

Ten years ago: Patsy Ramsey, who had been thrust into the spotlight by the unsolved slaying of her daughter JonBenet, died in Roswell, Georgia, at age 49.

Five years ago: A defiant U.S. House voted overwhelmingly to deny President Barack Obama the authority to wage war against Libya, but Republicans fell short in an effort to actually cut off funds for the operation. New York State legalized same-sex marriage. A truck-tractor hauling two side-dump trailers ran into a 12-car Amtrak passenger train at a crossing in the Nevada desert, killing six people, including the truck driver.

One year ago: A federal judge in Boston formally sentenced Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev to death for the 2013 terror attacks. Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley became the first southern governor to use his executive power to remove Confederate banners, as four flags with secessionist symbols were taken down from a large monument to rebel soldiers outside the state capitol in Montgomery. Pavin Smith homered and drove in three runs and Brandon Waddell turned in another strong College World Series pitching performance, leading Virginia over Vanderbilt 4-2 for the school's first baseball national championship.

Today's Birthdays: Rock singer Arthur Brown is 74. Actress Michele Lee is 74. Actor-director Georg Stanford Brown is 73. Rock musician Jeff Beck is 72. Rock singer Colin Blunstone (The Zombies) is 71. Musician Mick Fleetwood is 69. Actor Peter Weller is 69. Rock musician John Illsley (Dire Straits) is 67. Actress Nancy Allen is 66. Reggae singer Derrick Simpson (Black Uhuru) is 66. Actor Joe Penny is 60. Reggae singer Astro (UB40) is 59. Singer-musician Andy McCluskey (Orchestral Manoevres in the Dark) is 57. Actor Iain Glen is 55. Rock singer Curt Smith is 55. Actress Danielle Spencer is 51. Actress Sherry Stringfield is 49. Singer Glenn Medeiros is 46. Actress Carla Gallo is 41. Actress-producer Mindy Kaling is 37. Actress Minka Kelly is 36. Actress Vanessa Ray (TV: "Blue Bloods") is 35. Actress Candice Patton is 31. Actress Kaitlin Cullum is 30. Singer Solange Knowles is 30. Actor Max Ehrich is 25.

Thought for Today: "You are what you settle for." -- Janis Joplin, American blues and rock singer (1943-1970).