Today’s the day

64 Great Fire of Rome begins under the Emperor Nero.

1290 King Edward I orders expulsion of Jews from England. This edict will remain in place for 350 years.

1743 First half-page newspaper ad is published (NY Weekly Journal).

1864 US President Abraham Lincoln asks for 500,000 volunteers for military service. 1907 French troops occupy Casablanca. 1914 Gandhi leaves South Africa after leading campaigns of Passive Resistance.

1921 Babe Ruth achieves 139 home runs and becomes the all-time home run leader in Major League Baseball, taking the title from Roger Connor.

1925 Adolf Hitler publishes Mein Kampf (original title was the catchy Four and a Half Years (of Struggle) Against Lies, Stupidity and Cowardice).

1936 Charles “Lucky” Luciano is sentenced to 30 to 50 years in state prison.

1947 King George VI signs Indian Independence Act.

1955 First electric power generated from atomic energy sold commercially.

1959 The Nun’s Story, based on the novel by Kathryn Hulme, starring Audrey Hepburn, premieres in Los Angeles.

1968 The Intel Corporation is founded in Santa Clara, California.

1980 Billy Joel’s Glass Houses album, featuring It’s Still Rock ‘n’ Roll to Me, tops US charts.

1994 Kiss From a Rose (Grammy Record and Song of the Year) released by Seal , pictured above.

1995 Dreams from My Father, a memoir by Barack Obama, is published by Times Books.

2012 Kim Jong-un is officially appointed Supreme Leader of North Korea and given the rank of Marshal in the Korean People’s Army.

Birthdays

If it’s your birthday today, you share it with...

1895 George Machine Gun Kelly (Georgio Barnes), American gangster, born in Memphis, Tennessee (d. 1954).

1918 Nelson Mandela, above, South African anti-apartheid activist, political prisoner (1962-90) and President of South Africa (1994-99), born in Mvezo, Umtatu, South Africa (d. 2013).

1938 Ian Stewart, Scottish keyboardist, road manager and co-founder of the Rolling Stones, born in Pittenweem, Fife (d. 1985).

1950 Richard Branson, British music entrepreneur (Virgin Group), born in London.

1957 Nick Faldo, English golfer (US Master s 1989, 90, 96; British Open 1987, 90, 92), born in Welwyn Garden City Hertfordshire.

1967 Vin Diesel (Mark Sinclair), American actor, born in Alameda County, California.

1990 Canelo Álvarez, Mexican boxer (multiple weight division world champion), born in Guadalajara.