TODAY IN HISTORY
Today is Friday, Dec. 18, the 353rd day of 2020. There are 13 days left in the year.
ON THIS DATE IN HISTORY
On Dec. 18, 1865, the 13th Amendment to the Constitution, abolishing slavery, was declared in effect by Secretary of State William H. Seward.
1917 — Congress passed the 18th Amendment to the US Constitution prohibiting “the manufacture, sale, or transportation of intoxicating liquors” and sent it to the states for ratification.
1940 — Adolf Hitler signed a secret directive ordering preparations for a Nazi invasion of the Soviet Union. (Operation Barbarossa was launched in June 1941.)
1944 — The US Supreme Court upheld the government’s wartime evacuation of people of Japanese descent from the West Coast while at the same time ruling that “concededly loyal” Americans of Japanese ancestry could not continue to be detained.
2018 — The Trump administration banned bump stocks, the firearm attachments that allowed semi-automatic weapons to fire like machine guns, and gave gun owners until late March to turn in or destroy the devices.
Ten years ago — The US Senate approved repeal of the military’s 17-year “don’t ask, don’t tell” ban on openly gay troops in a 65-31 vote. (President Barack Obama later signed it into law.)
One year ago — The US House impeached President Donald Trump on two charges, sending his case to the Senate for trial; the articles of impeachment accused him of abusing the power of the presidency to investigate a political rival ahead of the 2020 election and then obstructing Congress’ investigation.
TODAY’S BIRTHDAYS
Actor Cicely Tyson is 96. Former US Attorney General Ramsey Clark is 93. Actor Roger Mosley is 82. Rock musician Keith Richards is 77. Writer-director Alan Rudolph is 77. Movie producer-director Steven Spielberg is 74. Blues artist Rod Piazza is 73. Movie director Gillian Armstrong is 70. Movie reviewer Leonard Maltin is 70. Rock musician Elliot Easton is 67. Actor Ray Liotta is 66. Comedian Ron White is 64. R&B singer Angie Stone is 59. Actor Brad Pitt is 57. Professional wrestler-turned-actor “Stone Cold” Steve Austin is
56. Actor Shawn Christian is
55. Actor Rachel Griffiths is
52. Singer Alejandro Sanz is
52. Actor Casper Van Dien is
52. Country/rap singer Cowboy Troy is 50. Rapper DMX is 50. International Tennis Hall of Famer Arantxa Sanchez Vicario is 49. DJ Lethal (Limp Bizkit) is 48. Pop singer Sia is 45. Country singer Randy Houser is 44. Actor Josh Dallas is 42. Actor Katie Holmes is 42. Actor Ravi Patel is 42. Singer Christina Aguilera is 40. Actor Ashley Benson is 31. NHL defenseman Victor Hedman is 30. Actor-singer Bridgit Mendler is
28. Atlanta Braves outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. is 23. Electro-pop singer Billie Eilish is
19. Actor Isabella Crovetti is
16.