Today in History

Today is Sunday, August 26th, the 238th day of 2007. There are 127 days left in the year.

Today's Highlight in History: On August 26th, 1920, the 19th Amendment to the U.S.

Constitution, guaranteeing American women the right to vote, was certified in effect by Secretary of State Bainbridge Colby.

On this date: In 55 B.C., Roman forces under Julius Caesar invaded Britain.

In 1883, the island volcano Krakatoa began erupting with increasingly large explosions.

In 1936, the Anglo-Egyptian Treaty, calling for most British troops to leave Egypt, was signed in Montreux, Switzerland (it was abrogated by Egypt in 1951).

In 1957, the Soviet Union announced it had successfully tested an intercontinental ballistic missile.

In 1961, the original Hockey Hall of Fame was opened in Toronto.

In 1964, President Johnson was nominated for a term of office in his own right at the Democratic national convention in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

In 1972, the summer Olympics games opened in Munich, West Germany.

In 1974, Charles Lindbergh the 1st man to fly solo, non-stop across the Atlantic died at his home in Hawaii at age 72.

In 1978, Cardinal Albino Luciani (al-BEE'-noh loo-CHYAH'-nee) of Venice was elected the 264th Pope of the Roman Catholic Church following the death of Paul VI. The new pontiff took the name Pope John Paul I.

In 1986, in the so-called "preppie murder case," 18-year-old Jennifer Levin was found strangled in New York's Central Park; Robert Chambers later pleaded guilty to manslaughter and served 15 years in prison.

Ten years ago: Former South African President F.W. de Klerk, who shared the Nobel Peace Prize for helping to end apartheid, resigned as leader of the party that had created the practice.

Five years ago: Vice President Dick Cheney, speaking at a Veterans of Foreign Wars convention in Tennessee, warned the United States could face devastating consequences from any delay in acting to remove Saddam Hussein as president of Iraq. The United Nations development and environmental summit opened in Johannesburg with a call from South African President Thabo Mbeki (TAH'-boh um-BEH'-kee) to end the divide between the rich and the poor.

One year ago: Iran's hard-line president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (mahk-MOOD' ah-muh-DEE'-neh-zhahd), inaugurated a heavy-water production plant, a facility the West feared would be used to develop a nuclear bomb. Chad's President Idriss Deby ordered California-based Chevron Corporation and Malaysian company Petronas to leave the country, saying neither had paid taxes.

(Stations: Single name, "Cassie," is correct) Today's Birthdays: Former Washington Post Executive Editor Benjamin C. Bradlee is 86. Author Ben J. Wattenberg is 74. Former Democratic vice-presidential nominee Geraldine Ferraro is 72.

Singer Vic Dana is 65. Rhythm-and-blues singer Valerie Simpson is 61. Pop singer Bob Cowsill is 58. Actor Brett Cullen is 51. Jazz musician Branford Marsalis is 47. Country musician Jimmy Olander (Diamond Rio) is 46. Actor Chris Burke is 42. Rock singer Shirley Manson (Garbage) is 41. Rock musician Dan Vickrey (Counting Crowes) is 41. T-V writer-actress Riley Weston is 41. Rock musician Adrian Young (No Doubt) is 38. Actress Melissa McCarthy is 37. Actor Macaulay Culkin is 27. Rhythm-and-blues singer Cassie is 21.

Actress Keke Palmer is 14.

Thought for Today: "Heroes in history seem to us poetic because they are there. But if we should tell the simple truth of some of our neighbors, it would sound like Poetry." George William Curtis, American author-editor (1824-1892).

(Above Advance for Use Sunday, August 26th)


Copyright 2007, The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

(Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.) APNP 08-19-07 0720CDT | save this article / add to your favorites list