Today in History

Today is Thursday, Aug. 6, the 219th day of 2020. There are 147 days left in the year.

Today's Highlight in History: On August 6, 1945, during World War II, the U.S. B-29 Superfortress Enola Gay dropped an atomic bomb code-named "Little Boy" on Hiroshima, Japan, resulting in an estimated 140,000 deaths. (Three days later, the United States exploded a nuclear device over Nagasaki; five days after that, Imperial Japan surrendered.)

On this date:

In 1809, one of the leading literary figures of the Victorian era, poet Alfred, Lord Tennyson, was born in Somersby, Lincolnshire, England.

In 1911, actor-comedian Lucille Ball was born in Jamestown, New York.

In 1926, Gertrude Ederle became the first woman to swim the English Channel, arriving in Kingsdown, England, from France in 14 1/2 hours.

In 1930, New York State Supreme Court Justice Joseph Force Crater went missing after leaving a Manhattan restaurant; his disappearance remains a mystery.

In 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act.

In 1973, entertainer Stevie Wonder was seriously injured in a car accident in North Carolina.

In 1978, Pope Paul VI died at Castel Gandolfo at age 80.

In 1986, William J. Schroeder died at Humana Hospital-Audubon in Louisville, Kentucky, after living 620 days with the Jarvik 7 artificial heart.

In 1991, the World Wide Web made its public debut as a means of accessing webpages over the Internet. TV newsman Harry Reasoner died in Norwalk, Connecticut, at age 68.

In 1993, Louis Freeh won Senate confirmation to be FBI director.

In 2009, Sonia Sotomayor was confirmed as the first Hispanic Supreme Court justice by a Senate vote of 68-31. John Hughes, 59, Hollywood's youth movie director of the 1980s and '90s, died in New York City.

In 2013, U.S. Army Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan went on trial at Fort Hood, Texas, charged with killing 13 people and wounding 32 others in a 2009 attack. (Hasan, who admitted carrying out the attack, was convicted and sentenced to death.)

Ten years ago: In a stunning announcement, Hewlett-Packard Co. said it had ousted CEO Mark Hurd after an investigation of a sexual harassment complaint found that he had falsified expense reports and other documents to conceal a relationship with a contractor.

Five years ago: The first Republican presidential debate aired on Fox News Channel; when the 10 candidates were asked whether any of them would not pledge to support the eventual GOP nominee, only Donald Trump raised his hand, saying, "I will not make the pledge at this time," angering Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul, who accused Trump of "hedging his bets." Jon Stewart bade an emotional goodbye after 16 years as host of Comedy Central's "The Daily Show." "Hamilton," the hip-hop flavored biography about Alexander Hamilton, the nation's first treasury secretary, opened on Broadway.

One year ago: Ohio Republican Gov. Mike DeWine, prompted to act by the weekend shooting in Dayton, proposed measures to address mass shootings, including required background checks for nearly all gun sales in Ohio and allowing courts to restrict firearms access for people perceived as threats. In a strong rebuke to President Donald Trump, the four living former leaders of the Federal Reserve said that the head of the nation's central bank should be able to make decisions on interest rates without political pressure or the threat of being removed.

Today's Birthdays: Children's performer Ella Jenkins is 96. Actor-director Peter Bonerz is 82. Actor Louise Sorel is 80. Actor Michael Anderson Jr. is 77. Actor Ray Buktenica is 77. Actor Dorian Harewood is 70. Actor Catherine Hicks is 69. Rock singer Pat MacDonald (Timbuk 3) is 68. Country musician Mark DuFresne is 67. Actor Stepfanie Kramer is 64. Actor Faith Prince is 63. Rhythm-and-blues singer Randy DeBarge is 62. Actor Leland Orser is 60. Actor Michelle Yeoh (yoh) is 58. Country singers Patsy and Peggy Lynn are 56. Basketball Hall of Famer David Robinson is 55. Actor Jeremy Ratchford is 55. Actor Benito Martinez is 52. Country singer Lisa Stewart is 52. Movie writer-director M. Night Shyamalan is 50. Actor Merrin Dungey is 49. Singer Geri Halliwell Horner is 48. Actor Jason O'Mara is 48. Singer-actor David Campbell is 47. Actor Vera Farmiga is 47. Actor Ever Carradine is 46. Actor Soleil Moon Frye is 44. Actor Melissa George is 44. Rock singer Travis McCoy is 39. Actor Leslie Odom Jr. is 39. Actor Romola Garai is 38. Rock musician Eric Roberts is 36.