May 3, 2009 - Today In History

Today is Sunday, May 3, the 123rd day of 2009. There are 242 days left in the year.

Today's Highlight in History:

On May 3, 1909, a wireless news dispatch was transmitted from The New York Times to the Chicago Tribune in the first such communication between the two cities.

On this date:

In 1469, political theorist Niccolo Machiavelli was born in Florence, Italy.

In 1802, Washington, D.C., was incorporated as a city.

In 1916, Irish nationalist Padraic Pearse and two others were executed by the British for their roles in the Easter Rising.

In 1933, Nellie T. Ross became the first female director of the U.S. Mint.

In 1944, U.S. wartime rationing of most grades of meats ended.

In 1945, during World War II, Allied forces captured Rangoon, Burma, from the Japanese.

In 1948, the Supreme Court, in Shelley v. Kraemer, ruled that covenants prohibiting the sale of real estate to blacks or members of other racial groups were legally unenforceable.

In 1978, "Sun Day" fell on a Wednesday as thousands of people extolling the virtues of solar energy held events across the country.

In 1979, Conservative Party leader Margaret Thatcher was chosen to become Britain's first female prime minister as the Tories ousted the incumbent Labor government in parliamentary elections.

In 1986, in NASA's first post-Challenger launch, an unmanned Delta rocket lost power in its main engine shortly after liftoff, forcing safety officers to destroy it by remote control.

Ten years ago:

Some 70 tornadoes roared across Oklahoma and Kansas, killing 46 people and injuring hundreds.

The Dow Jones industrial average closed above 11,000, just 24 trading days after passing 10,000.

Japanese Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi met with President Bill Clinton at the White House during the
first official U.S. visit by a Japanese premier in 12 years.

Five years ago:

The U.S. military said it had reprimanded seven officers in the abuse of inmates at Baghdad's
notorious Abu Ghraib prison, the first known punishments in the case; two of the officers were
relieved of their duties.

Former postmaster general Marvin Runyon died in Nashville, Tenn., at age 79.

One year ago:

Big Brown won the Kentucky Derby by 4 3/4 lengths.
(Filly Eight Belles finished second and then broke both front ankles;
she was euthanized on the track.)

Today's Birthdays:

Folk singer Pete Seeger is 90.

Actress Ann B. Davis is 83.

Singer Frankie Valli is 75.

Sports announcer Greg Gumbel is 63.

Pop singer Mary Hopkin is 59.

Singer Christopher Cross is 58.

Country musician Cactus Moser (Highway 101) is 52.

Rock musician David Ball (Soft Cell) is 50.

Country singer Shane Minor is 41.

Actor Bobby Cannavale is 39.

Music and film producer-actor Damon Dash is 38.

Country musician John Hopkins (Zac Brown Band) is 38.

Country-rock musician John Neff (Drive-By Truckers) is 38.

Country singer Brad Martin is 36.

Actor Dule Hill is 34.

Country singer Eric Church is 32.

Colts running back Joseph Addai is 26.

Dancer Cheryl Burke (TV: "Dancing with the Stars") is 25.

Actress Jill Berard is 19.

Thought for Today:

"God, give us grace to accept with serenity the things that cannot be changed, courage to change the things which should be changed,
and the wisdom to distinguish the one from the other."

— Reinhold Niebuhr,
American clergyman and author
(1892-1971).