Today in History

Today in History

Today is Saturday, Sept. 10, the 254th day of 2016. There are 112 days left in the year.

Today's Highlight in History:

On Sept. 10, 1846, Elias Howe received a patent for his sewing machine.

On this date:

In 1608, John Smith was elected president of the Jamestown colony council in Virginia.

In 1813, an American naval force commanded by Oliver H. Perry defeated the British in the Battle of Lake Erie during the War of 1812. (Afterward, Perry sent out the message, "We have met the enemy and they are ours.")

In 1919, New York City welcomed home Gen. John J. Pershing and 25,000 soldiers who'd served in the U.S. First Division during World War I.

In 1935, Sen. Huey P. Long died in Baton Rouge two days after being shot in the Louisiana state Capitol, allegedly by Dr. Carl Weiss.

In 1939, Canada declared war on Germany.

In 1945, Vidkun Quisling was sentenced to death in Norway for collaborating with the Nazis (he was executed by firing squad in Oct. 1945).

In 1955, the Western series "Gunsmoke," starring James Arness as Marshal Matt Dillon, began a 20-season run on CBS Television.

In 1963, 20 black students entered Alabama public schools following a standoff between federal authorities and Gov. George C. Wallace.

In 1974, the West African country of Guinea-Bissau became fully independent of Portugal.

In 1979, four Puerto Rican nationalists imprisoned for a 1954 attack on the U.S. House of Representatives and a 1950 attempt on the life of President Harry S. Truman were freed from prison after being granted clemency by President Jimmy Carter.

In 1987, Pope John Paul II arrived in Miami, where he was welcomed by President Ronald Reagan and first lady Nancy Reagan as he began a 10-day tour of the United States.

In 1991, the Senate Judiciary Committee opened hearings on the nomination of Clarence Thomas to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Ten years ago: On the eve of the anniversary of 9/11, President George W. Bush and his wife, Laura, placed wreaths at ground zero in New York. Daniel Smith, the 20-year-old son of Anna Nicole Smith, died in the Bahamas of a lethal combination of drugs, five months before the death of his mother. World Golf Hall of Famer Patty Berg died in Fort Myers, Florida, at age 88. Roger Federer defeated Andy Roddick 6-2, 4-6, 7-5, 6-1 in the U.S. Open final. Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts defeated Eli Manning and the New York Giants 26-21 in the first NFL game to feature brothers starting at quarterback.

Five years ago: On the eve of the 10th anniversary of 9/11, former Presidents George W. Bush and Bill Clinton paid tribute to the 40 passengers and crew who fought back against their hijackers aboard Flight 93 during a ceremony dedicating the first phase of a memorial in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. A pair of NASA probes -- named Grail-A and Grail-B -- rocketed toward the moon on the first mission dedicated to measuring lunar gravity and determining what was inside Earth's orbiting companion. Oscar- and Emmy-winning actor Cliff Robertson died in Stony Brook, New York, a day after turning 88.

One year ago: Senate Democrats voted to uphold the hard-fought nuclear accord with Iran, overcoming ferocious Republican opposition. New York State approved gradually raising the minimum wage for fast-food workers to $15 an hour, the first time any state had set the minimum that high.

Today's Birthdays: World Golf Hall of Famer Arnold Palmer is 87. Actor Philip Baker Hall is 85. Actor Greg Mullavey is 83. Jazz vibraphonist Roy Ayers is 76. Actor Tom Ligon is 76. Singer Danny Hutton (Three Dog Night) is 74. Singer Jose Feliciano is 71. Actress Judy Geeson is 68. Former Canadian first lady Margaret Trudeau is 68. Political commentator Bill O'Reilly is 67. Rock musician Joe Perry (Aerosmith) is 66. Actress Amy Irving is 63. Actor-director Clark Johnson is 62. Country singer Rosie Flores is 60. Actress Kate Burton is 59. Movie director Chris Columbus is 58. Actor Colin Firth is 56. Rock singer-musician David Lowery (Cracker) is 56. Actor Sean O'Bryan is 53. Actor Raymond Cruz is 52. Baseball Hall of Famer Randy Johnson is 53. Rock musician Robin Goodridge (Bush) is 51. Rock musician Stevie D. (Buckcherry) is 50. Rock singer-musician Miles Zuniga (Fastball) is 50. Actress Nina Repeta is 49. Rapper Big Daddy Kane is 48. Movie director Guy Ritchie is 48. Actor Johnathan Schaech (shehk) is 47. Contemporary Christian singer Sara Groves is 44. Actor Ryan Phillippe is 42. Actor Kyle Bornheimer is 41. Rock musician Mikey Way (My Chemical Romance) is 36. Olympic bronze medal figure skater Timothy Goebel is 36. Ballerina Misty Copeland is 34. Rock musician Matthew Followill (Kings of Leon) is 32. Singer Ashley Monroe (Pistol Annies) is 30. Singer Sanjaya Malakar ("American Idol") is 27. Actor Chandler Massey is 26. Actress Hannah Hodson is 25. Actor Gabriel Bateman (TV: "American Gothic") is 12.

Thought for Today: "The more one pleases everybody, the less one pleases profoundly." -- Stendhal, French author (1783-1842).