Today in History

Today is Wednesday, Oct. 19, the 292nd day of 2022. There are 73 days left in the year.

Today's Highlight in History:

On Oct. 19, 2001, U.S. special forces began operations on the ground in Afghanistan, opening a significant new phase of the assault against the Taliban and al-Qaida.

On this date:

In 1781, British troops under Gen. Lord Cornwallis surrendered at Yorktown, Virginia, as the American Revolution neared its end.

In 1814, the first documented public performance of "The Star-Spangled Banner" took place at the Holliday Street Theater in Baltimore.

In 1944, the U.S. Navy began accepting Black women into WAVES (Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service).

In 1950, during the Korean Conflict, United Nations forces entered the North Korean capital of Pyongyang.

In 1953, the Ray Bradbury novel "Fahrenheit 451," set in a dystopian future where books are banned and burned by the government, was first published by Ballantine Books.

In 1960, the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. was arrested during a sit-down protest at a lunch counter in Atlanta. (Sent to prison for a parole violation over a traffic offense, King was released after three days following an appeal by Robert F. Kennedy.)

In 1977, the supersonic Concorde made its first landing in New York City.

In 1987, the stock market crashed as the Dow Jones Industrial Average plunged 508 points, or 22.6 percent in value (its biggest daily percentage loss), to close at 1,738.74 in what came to be known as "Black Monday."

In 1990, Kevin Costner's Western epic "Dances with Wolves" had its world premiere in Washington, D.C.

In 2003, Pope John Paul II beatified Mother Teresa during a ceremony in St. Peter's Square.

In 2010, the Pentagon directed the military to accept openly gay recruits for the first time in the nation's history.

In 2016, in the third and final 2016 presidential debate, Republican Donald Trump stunned the forum in Las Vegas by refusing to say he would accept the results of the election if he were to lose; Democrat Hillary Clinton declared Trump's resistance "horrifying."

Ten years ago: The Dow Jones industrial average had its worst day in four months, sinking 205.43 points, or 1.5 percent, to close at 13,343.51.

Five years ago: Puerto Rico Gov. Ricardo Rossello, meeting with President Donald Trump at the White House about a month after Hurricane Maria, described the situation in the island territory as "catastrophic"; Trump rated the White House response to the disaster as a "10." Counter-demonstrators greatly outnumbered supporters of white nationalist Richard Spencer, drowning him out as he spoke at the University of Florida. The Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Chicago Cubs 11-1 to reach the World Series for the first time in almost three decades.

One year ago: A House committee investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection voted unanimously to hold former White House aide Steve Bannon in contempt of Congress after the longtime ally of former President Donald Trump defied a subpoena for documents and testimony. A federal grand jury indicted U.S. Rep. Jeff Fortenberry of Nebraska, accusing him of lying to the FBI and concealing information from federal agents who were investigating campaign contributions funneled to him from a Nigerian billionaire. (Fortenberry was convicted in March 2022; he resigned two days later.) The U.S. Supreme Court declined to block a vaccine requirement imposed on Maine health care workers, the latest defeat for opponents of vaccine mandates.

Today's Birthdays: Actor Tony Lo Bianco is 86. Artist Peter Max is 85. Author and critic Renata Adler is 85. Actor Michael Gambon is 82. Actor John Lithgow is 77. Feminist activist Patricia Ireland is 77. Singer Jeannie C. Riley is 77. Rock singer-musician Patrick Simmons (The Doobie Brothers) is 74. Actor Annie Golden is 71. Talk show host Charlie Chase is 70. Rock singer-musician Karl Wallinger (World Party) is 65. Former Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele is 64. Singer Jennifer Holliday is 62. Retired boxer Evander Holyfield is 60. Host Ty Pennington (TV: "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition") is 58. Rock singer-musician Todd Park Mohr (Big Head Todd and the Monsters) is 57. Actor Jon Favreau is 56. Amy Carter is 55. "South Park" co-creator Trey Parker is 53. Comedian Chris Kattan is 52. Rock singer Pras Michel (The Fugees) is 50. Actor Omar Gooding is 46. Country singer Cyndi Thomson is 46. Writer-director Jason Reitman is 45. Actor Benjamin Salisbury is 42. Actor Gillian Jacobs is 40. Actor Rebecca Ferguson is 39. Rock singer Zac Barnett (American Authors) is 36. Singer-actor Ciara Renee (TV: "Legends of Tomorrow") is 32. Actor Hunter King is 29.