TODAY IN HISTORY

TODAY IS FRIDAY, JUNE 30, the 181st day of 2017. There are 184 days left in the year.

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHT IN HISTORY:

On this date in 1997, the Union Jack was lowered for the last time over Government House in Hong Kong as Britain prepared to hand the colony back to China at midnight after ruling it for 156 years.

In 1917, singer, actress and activist Lena Horne was born in Brooklyn, N.Y.

In 1936, the Civil War novel “Gone with the Wind” by Margaret Mitchell was first published by The Macmillan Co. in New York.

In 1952, “The Guiding Light,” a popular radio program, began a 57-year television run on CBS.

In 1963, Pope Paul VI was crowned the 262nd head of the Roman Catholic Church.

In 1966, the National Organization for Women (NOW) was founded in Washington, D.C.

In 1977, President Jimmy Carter announced he had decided against production of the Rockwell B-1 bomber, saying it was too costly. (However, the B-1 was later revived by President Ronald Reagan.)

In 1985, 39 American hostages from a hijacked TWA jetliner were freed in Beirut after being held 17 days.

TODAY’S BIRTHDAYS: Actress Lea Massari is 84. Actress Nancy Dussault is 81. Songwriter Tony Hatch is 78. Singer Glenn Shorrock is 73. Actor Leonard Whiting is 67. Jazz musician Stanley Clarke is 66. Actor David Garrison is 65. Rock musician Hal Lindes (Dire Straits) is 64. Actor-comedian David Alan Grier is 61. Actor Vincent D’Onofrio is 58. Rock musician Tom Drummond (Better Than Ezra) is 48. Actors Brian Bloom and Brian Vincent are 47. Actress Monica Potter is 46. Actress Molly Parker is 45. Actor Rick Gonzalez is 38. Rhythm-andblues singer Fantasia is 33. Olympic gold medal swimmer Michael Phelps is 32.