Today in History

Today in History

Today is Thursday, March 26, the 86th day of 2020. There are 280 days left in the year.

Today's Highlight in History:

On March 26, 1945, during World War II, Iwo Jima was fully secured by U.S. forces following a final, desperate attack by Japanese soldiers.

On this date:

In 1812, an earthquake devastated Caracas, Venezuela, causing an estimated 26,000 deaths, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

In 1827, composer Ludwig van Beethoven died in Vienna.

In 1911, American playwright Tennessee Williams ("The Glass Menagerie," "A Streetcar Named Desire," "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof") was born in Columbus, Miss.

In 1962, the U.S. Supreme Court, in Baker v. Carr, gave federal courts the power to order reapportionment of states' legislative districts.

In 1964, the musical play "Funny Girl," starring Barbra Streisand as Fanny Brice, opened on Broadway.

In 1979, a peace treaty was signed by Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin and Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and witnessed by President Jimmy Carter at the White House.

In 1982, groundbreaking ceremonies took place in Washington, D.C., for the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.

In 1988, Jesse Jackson stunned fellow Democrats by soundly defeating Michael S. Dukakis in Michigan's Democratic presidential caucuses.

In 1992, a judge in Indianapolis sentenced former heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson to six years in prison for raping a Miss Black America contestant. (Tyson ended up serving three years.)

In 1997, the bodies of 39 members of the Heaven's Gate techno-religious cult who committed suicide were found inside a rented mansion in Rancho Santa Fe, California.

In 2013, Italy's top criminal court overturned the acquittal of American Amanda Knox in the grisly murder of British roommate Meredith Kercher and ordered Knox to stand trial again. (Although convicted in absentia, Knox was exonerated by the Italian Supreme Court in 2015.)

In 2018, a toxicology report obtained by The Associated Press revealed that the late pop music superstar Prince had levels of fentanyl in his body that multiple experts described as "exceedingly high."

Ten years ago: The U.S. and Russia sealed the first major nuclear weapons treaty in nearly two decades, agreeing to slash the former Cold War rivals' warhead arsenals by nearly one-third. A South Korean warship exploded and sank near a disputed maritime border with North Korea, killing 46 sailors. (South Korea blamed North Korea, which denied involvement.) A truck collided with a van on I-65 in Kentucky, killing 10 Mennonites in the van and the truck driver. NBA player Gilbert Arenas was sentenced to 30 days in a halfway house for bringing guns into the Washington Wizards locker room.

Five years ago: Indiana Gov. Mike Pence signed a measure prohibiting state and local laws that "substantially burden" the ability of people to follow their religious beliefs; opponents charged the new law could legalize discrimination against gay people.

One year ago: The House failed to override President Donald Trump's first veto, allowing him to steer billions of extra dollars to construct border barriers. The Senate defeated a motion to take up the Green New Deal, rejecting an opportunity to debate a comprehensive climate change plan offered by Democrats. Prosecutors in Chicago abruptly dropped all charges against Jussie Smollett, the "Empire" actor who was accused of faking a racist, anti-gay attack on himself; they said they still believed that Smollett had concocted the assault. (A grand jury revived the criminal case with new charges against Smollett in February 2020.) Rockland County in New York City's northern suburbs declared a state of emergency over a measles outbreak that had infected more than 150 people; the action included a ban against unvaccinated children in public places.

Today's Birthdays: Retired Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor is 90. Actor Alan Arkin is 86. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is 85. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is 80. Actor James Caan is 80. Author Erica Jong is 78. Journalist Bob Woodward is 77. Singer Diana Ross is 76. Actor Johnny Crawford is 74. Rock singer Steven Tyler (Aerosmith) is 72. Singer and TV personality Vicki Lawrence is 71. Actor Ernest Thomas is 71. Comedian Martin Short is 70. Country singer Ronnie McDowell is 70. Movie composer Alan Silvestri is 70. Rock musician Monte Yoho is 68. Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao is 67. Radio talk show host Curtis Sliwa is 66. Country singer Dean Dillon is 65. Country singer Charly McClain is 64. TV personality Leeza Gibbons is 63. Actress Ellia English is 61. Actress Jennifer Grey is 60. College and Pro Football Hall of Famer Marcus Allen is 60. Actor Billy Warlock is 59. Actor Eric Allan Kramer is 58. Basketball and College Basketball Hall of Famer John Stockton is 58. Actor Michael Imperioli is 54. Rock musician James Iha is 52. Country singer Kenny Chesney is 52. Movie director Martin McDonagh (Film: "Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri") is 50. Actress Leslie Mann is 48. Actor T.R. Knight is 47. Rapper Juvenile is 45. Actress Amy Smart is 44. Actress Bianca Kajlich is 43. Moderator Margaret Brennan (TV: "Face the Nation") is 40. Actor Sterling Sulieman is 36. Actress Keira Knightley is 35. Rapper J-Kwon is 34. Actress Carly Chaikin is 30.

Thought for Today: "Life's like a play; it's not the length but the excellence of the acting that matters." -- Seneca the Younger, Roman statesman and philosopher (3 B.C.-A.D. 65).