Today in History

Today is Friday, July 12, the 193rd day of 2019. 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 1817, author, poet and naturalist Henry David Thoreau was born in Concord, Massachusetts.

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 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 1960, the Etch A Sketch Magic Screen drawing toy, invented by French electrician Andre Cassagnes, was first produced by the Ohio Art Co.

In 1962, The Rolling Stones played their first-ever gig at The Marquee in London.

In 1967, rioting erupted in Newark, New Jersey, over the police beating of a black taxi driver; 26 people were killed in the five days of violence that followed.

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

In 2003, the USS Ronald Reagan, the first carrier named for a living president, was commissioned in Norfolk, Virginia.

In 2005, Prince Albert II of Monaco acceded to the throne of a 700-year-old dynasty.

Ten years ago: Rebels in Nigeria set fire to an oil depot and loading tankers in Lagos, killing five people in the group's first attack outside the Delta region. Eun Hee Ji of South Korea made a 20-foot birdie putt on the 72nd hole, finishing off an even-par 71 to win the U.S. Women's Open.

Five years ago: Afghanistan's two rival candidates reached a breakthrough agreement brokered by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry to allow a complete audit of their contested presidential election. (Former Finance Minister Ashraf Ghani emerged the winner over former Foreign Minister Abdullah Abdullah.)

One year ago: After an emergency gathering of NATO leaders held to address his criticisms, President Donald Trump said the U.S. commitment to the alliance "remains very strong," despite reports that he had threatened to pull out in a dispute over defense spending. Trump then flew to Great Britain for his first visit as president. Syria's government raised its flag over the southern city of Daraa, the cradle of the 2011 uprising against President Bashar Assad, after rebels in the city surrendered. "Game of Thrones" led the way with 22 Emmy nominations; Netflix programs captured 112 nominations, taking away HBO's front-runner title.

Today's Birthdays: Movie director Monte Hellman is 90. Actor-comedian Bill Cosby is 82. Singer-musician Christine McVie is 76. Actress Denise Nicholas is 75. Singer-songwriter Butch Hancock is 74. Fitness guru Richard Simmons is 71. Singer Walter Egan is 71. Writer-producer Brian Grazer is 68. Actress Cheryl Ladd is 68. Country singer Julie Miller is 63. Gospel singer Sandi Patty is 63. Actress Mel Harris is 63. Actor Buddy Foster is 62. Rock guitarist Dan Murphy (Soul Asylum) is 57. Actress Judi Evans is 55. Rock singer Robin Wilson (Gin Blossoms) is 54. Actress Natalie Desselle Reid is 52. Actress Lisa Nicole Carson is 50. Olympic gold medal figure skater Kristi Yamaguchi is 48. Country singer Shannon Lawson is 46. Rapper Magoo is 46. CBS newsman Jeff Glor is 44. Actress Anna Friel is 43. Rhythm-and-blues singer Tracie Spencer is 43. Actress Alison Wright is 43. Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz., is 43. Actor Steve Howey is 42. Actor Topher Grace is 41. Actress Michelle Rodriguez is 41. Actress Kristen Connolly is 39. Country singer-musician Kimberly Perry (The Band Perry) is 36. Actor Matt Cook (TV: "Man With a Plan") is 35. Actress Natalie Martinez is 35. Actor Bernard David Jones is 34. Actress Ta'Rhonda Jones is 31. Golfer Inbee Park is 31. Actress Melissa O'Neil is 31. Actress Rachel Brosnahan is 29. Actor Erik Per Sullivan is 28. Olympic gold medal gymnast Jordyn Wieber is 24. Nobel Peace laureate Malala Yousafzai is 22.

Thought for Today: "A man who fears suffering is already suffering from what he fears." -- Michel de Montaigne, French philosopher (1533-1592).

Copyright 2019, The Associated Press. All rights reserved.