Today in History

Today in History

Today is Tuesday, July 12, the 194th day of 2016. There are 172 days left in the year.

Today's Highlight in History:

On July 12, 1984, Democratic presidential candidate Walter F. Mondale announced his choice of U.S. Rep. Geraldine A. Ferraro of New York to be his running-mate; Ferraro was the first woman to run for vice president on a major-party ticket.

On this date:

In 1543, England's King Henry VIII married his sixth and last wife, Catherine Parr.

In 1862, during the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln signed a bill authorizing the Army Medal of Honor.

In 1909, the House of Representatives joined the Senate in passing the 16th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, allowing for a federal income tax, and submitted it to the states. (It was declared ratified in February 1913.)

In 1948, the Democratic National Convention, which nominated President Harry S. Truman for a second term of office, opened in Philadelphia.

In 1957, President Dwight D. Eisenhower was flown by helicopter from the White House to a secret mountaintop location as part of a drill involving a mock nuclear attack on Washington.

In 1965, the Beach Boys single "California Girls" was released by Capitol Records.

In 1967, six days of race-related rioting erupted in Newark, New Jersey; the violence claimed 26 lives.

In 1975, the African island nation of San Tome and Principe became independent of Portugal.

In 1977, President Jimmy Carter defended Supreme Court limits on government payments for poor women's abortions, saying, "There are many things in life that are not fair."

In 1988, Democratic presidential candidate Michael S. Dukakis tapped Sen. Lloyd Bentsen of Texas as his running-mate.

In 1991, a Japanese professor (Hitoshi Igarashi) who had translated Salman Rushdie's "The Satanic Verses" was found stabbed to death, nine days after the novel's Italian translator was attacked in Milan.

In 1994, President Bill Clinton, visiting Germany, went to the eastern sector of Berlin, the first U.S. president to do so since Harry Truman.

Ten years ago: Hezbollah guerrillas kidnapped two Israeli soldiers and killed eight others in a cross-border raid. (The bodies of the kidnapped soldiers, Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev, were returned to Israel in 2008 in exchange for five Lebanese militants.)

Five years ago: President Barack Obama awarded the Medal of Honor to Sgt. 1st Class Leroy Arthur Petry, who'd lost his right hand grabbing a live grenade to save his comrades in Afghanistan. Ahmed Wali Karzai, the powerful half-brother of President Hamid Karzai, was gunned down in his heavily fortified home by a close associate. A memorial service for former first lady Betty Ford in Palm Desert, California, was attended by Michelle Obama, Hillary Rodham Clinton, Rosalynn Carter and former President George W. Bush. Prince Fielder hit a three-run homer and Roy Halladay and his relief combined on a six-hitter to lead the NL over the AL 5-1 in the All-Star game.

One year ago: On the final day of his three-nation South American tour, Pope Francis put into practice his call for the world's poor and powerless to not be left on the margins of society by visiting a flood-prone slum in Paraguay and insisting that the Catholic Church be a place of welcome for all -- sick and sinners especially. Defending champion Novak Djokovic outplayed Roger Federer in four sets, 7-6 (1), 6-7 (10), 6-4, 6-3, to win his third Wimbledon title and ninth Grand Slam championship. Olivia Jordan of Oklahoma was crowned Miss USA during the pageant in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

Today's Birthdays: Movie director Monte Hellman is 87. Comedian Bill Cosby is 79. Singer-musician Christine McVie is 73. Actress Denise Nicholas is 72. Singer-songwriter Butch Hancock is 71. Fitness guru Richard Simmons is 68. Actor Jay Thomas is 68. Singer Walter Egan is 68. Writer-producer Brian Grazer is 65. Actress Cheryl Ladd is 65. Country singer Julie Miller is 60. Gospel singer Sandi Patty is 60. Actress Mel Harris is 60. Actor Buddy Foster is 59. Rock guitarist Dan Murphy (Soul Asylum) is 54. Actress Judi Evans is 52. Rock singer Robin Wilson (Gin Blossoms) is 51. Actress Natalie Desselle Reid is 49. Actress Lisa Nicole Carson is 47. Olympic gold medal figure skater Kristi Yamaguchi is 45. Country singer Shannon Lawson is 43. Rapper Magoo is 43. Actress Anna Friel is 40. Rhythm-and-blues singer Tracie Spencer is 40. Actress Alison Wright is 40. Actor Steve Howey is 39. Actor Topher Grace is 38. Actress Michelle Rodriguez is 38. Actress Kristen Connolly is 36. Country singer-musician Kimberly Perry (The Band Perry) is 33. Actress Natalie Martinez is 32. Actress Ta'Rhonda Jones (TV: "Empire") is 28. Golfer Inbee Park is 28. Actress Rachel Brosnahan is 26. Actor Erik Per Sullivan is 25. Olympic gold medal gymnast Jordyn Wieber is 21. Nobel Peace laureate Malala Yousafzai is 19.

Thought for Today: "If opportunity doesn't knock, build a door." -- Milton Berle, American comedian (born this date in 1908, died 2002).