TODAY IN HISTORY
TODAY IS TUESDAY, JUNE 5, the 156th day of 2018. There are 209 days left in the year.
TODAY’S HIGHLIGHT IN HISTORY:
On this date in 1968, Sen. Robert F. Kennedy was shot and mortally wounded after claiming victory in California’s Democratic presidential primary; assassin Sirhan Bishara Sirhan was arrested at the scene.
In 1527, a month after Rome was conquered by troops of the Holy Roman Empire, Pope Clement VII surrendered.
In 1794, Congress passed the Neutrality Act, which prohibited Americans from taking part in military action against a country at peace with the United States.
In 1884, Civil War hero Gen. William T. Sherman refused the Republican presidential nomination, saying, “I will not accept if nominated and will not serve if elected.”
In 1917, about 10 million American men between the ages of 21 and 31 began registering for the draft in World War I.
In 1933, the United States went off the gold standard.
In 1947, Secretary of State George C. Marshall gave a speech at Harvard University in which he outlined the aid program for Europe that came to be known as The Marshall Plan.
In 1950, the U.S. Supreme Court, in Henderson v. United States, struck down segregated railroad dining cars.
In 1967, war erupted in the Middle East as Israel, anticipating an attack by its Arab neighbors, launched a series of airfield strikes that destroyed nearly the entire Egyptian air force; Syria, Jordan and Iraq immediately entered the war.
In 1993, country star Conway Twitty died in Springfield, Mo., at age 59.
In 2004, Ronald Wilson Reagan, the 40th president of the United States, died in Los Angeles at age 93 after a long struggle with Alzheimer’s disease.
TODAY’S BIRTHDAYS: Actor-singer Bill Hayes is 93. Broadcast journalist Bill Moyers is 84. Author Dame Margaret Drabble are 79. Country singer Don Reid (The Statler Brothers) is 73. Rock musician Freddie Stone (Sly and the Family Stone) and rock singer Laurie Anderson are 71. Country singer Gail Davies is 70. Author Ken Follett is 69. Financial guru Suze Orman is 67. Rock musician Nicko McBrain (Iron Maiden) is 66. Jazz musician Peter Erskine is 64. Jazz musician Kenny G and rock singer Richard Butler (Psychedelic Furs) are 62. Actress Beth Hall is 60. Actor Jeff Garlin is 56. Actress Karen Sillas is 55. Actor Ron Livingston is 51. Singer Brian McKnight is 49. Actor Mark Wahlberg is 47. Actresses Navi Rawat and Liza Weil are 41. Rock musician Pete Wentz (Fall Out Boy) is 39. Actress Amanda Crew is 32. Actress Sophie Lowe is 28.