Today in History

Today is Sunday, Sept. 13, the 257th day of 2020. There are 109 days left in the year.

Today's Highlight in History:

On Sept. 13, 1788, the Congress of the Confederation authorized the first national election, and declared New York City the temporary national capital.

On this date:

In 1803, Commodore John Barry, considered by many the father of the American Navy, died in Philadelphia.

In 1814, during the War of 1812, British naval forces began bombarding Fort McHenry in Baltimore but were driven back by American defenders in a battle that lasted until the following morning.

In 1851, American medical pioneer Walter Reed was born in Gloucester County, Va.

In 1962, Mississippi Gov. Ross Barnett rejected the U.S. Supreme Court's order for the University of Mississippi to admit James Meredith, a Black student, declaring in a televised address, "We will not drink from the cup of genocide."

In 1971, a four-day inmates' rebellion at the Attica Correctional Facility in western New York ended as police and guards stormed the prison; the ordeal and final assault claimed the lives of 32 inmates and 11 hostages.

In 1993, at the White House, Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and PLO chairman Yasser Arafat shook hands after signing an accord granting limited Palestinian autonomy.

In 1996, rapper Tupac Shakur died at a Las Vegas hospital six days after he was wounded in a drive-by shooting; he was 25.

In 1997, funeral services were held in Calcutta, India, for Nobel peace laureate Mother Teresa.

In 2001, two days after the 9/11 terror attacks, the first few jetliners returned to the nation's skies, but several major airports remained closed and others opened only briefly. President George W. Bush visited injured Pentagon workers and said he would carry the nation's prayers to New York.

In 2005, President George W. Bush took responsibility for the federal government's mistakes in dealing with Hurricane Katrina and suggested the calamity raised broader questions about the government's ability to handle both natural disasters and terror attacks.

In 2008, rescue crews ventured out to pluck people from their homes in an all-out search for thousands of Texans who had stubbornly stayed behind overnight to face Hurricane Ike.

In 2009, Kim Clijsters, capping a comeback from two years out of tennis, became the first unseeded woman to win the U.S. Open as she defeated No. 9 Caroline Wozniacki, 7-5, 6-3.

Ten years ago: Cuba announced it would cast off at least half a million state workers and reduce restrictions on private enterprise to help them find jobs. Japan freed 14 crew members of a Chinese fishing ship nearly a week after their vessel collided with two Japanese patrol boats near disputed southern islets. On the premiere of the 25th and final season of "The Oprah Winfrey Show," Winfrey announced the audience would receive trips to Australia. Rafael Nadal won his first U.S. Open title to complete a career Grand Slam, beating Novak Djokovic 6-4, 5-7, 6-4, 6-2.

Five years ago: Germany introduced temporary border controls to stem the tide of thousands of refugees streaming across its borders. Novak Djokovic defeated Roger Federer in four sets, 6-4, 5-7, 6-4, 6-4, in the U.S. Open final for his 10th Grand Slam title. Basketball Hall of Famer Moses Malone, 60, died in Norfolk, Virginia. Miss Georgia Betty Cantrell was crowned Miss America at the pageant in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

One year ago: Actor Felicity Huffman was sentenced to 14 days in prison and fined $30,000 after pleading guilty to conspiracy and fraud for paying an admissions consultant to have a proctor correct her daughter's SAT exam answers; Huffman said she took full responsibility and deserved the punishment. (She would be released two days before the end of her sentence.) Eddie Money, one of the top-selling rock stars of the 1970s and 1980s with hits including "Two Tickets to Paradise," died at the age of 70 in Los Angeles; he had recently announced that he had advanced cancer.

Today's Birthdays: Actor Barbara Bain is 89. Actor Eileen Fulton (TV: "As the World Turns") is 87. Actor Joe E. Tata is 84. Rock singer David Clayton-Thomas (Blood, Sweat & Tears) is 79. Actor Jacqueline Bisset is 76. Singer Peter Cetera is 76. Actor Christine Estabrook is 70. Actor Jean Smart is 69. Singer Randy Jones (The Village People) is 68. Record producer Don Was is 68. Actor Isiah Whitlock Jr. is 66. Actor-comedian Geri Jewell is 64. Country singer Bobbie Cryner is 59. Rock singer-musician Dave Mustaine (Megadeth) is 59. Radio-TV personality Tavis Smiley is 56. Rock musician Zak Starkey is 55. Actor/comedian Jeff Ross is 55. Actor Louis Mandylor is 54. Olympic gold medal runner Michael Johnson is 53. Rock musician Steve Perkins is 53. Actor Roger Howarth is 52. Actor Dominic Fumusa is 51. Actor Louise Lombard is 50. Tennis player Goran Ivanisevic is 49. Country singer Aaron Benward (Blue County) is 47. Country musician Joe Don Rooney (Rascal Flatts) is 45. Actor Scott Vickaryous is 45. Singer Fiona Apple is 43. Contemporary Christian musician Hector Cervantes (Casting Crowns) is 40. Former MLB pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka is 40. Actor Ben Savage is 40. Rock singer Niall Horan (One Direction) is 27. Actor Mitch Holleman is 25. Actor Lili Reinhart (TV: "Riverdale") is 24.