Today In History

Today is Friday, March 3, the 62nd day of 2017. There are 303 days left in the year.

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHT

› 1931: “The Star-Spangled Banner” became the national anthem of the United States as President Herbert Hoover signed a congressional resolution.

ON THIS DATE

› 1845: Florida became the 27th state.

› 1849: The U.S. Department of the Interior was established.

› 1887: Anne Sullivan arrived at the Tuscumbia, Alabama, home of Captain and Mrs. Arthur H. Keller to become the teacher for their deaf and blind 6-year-old daughter, Helen.

› 1923: Time magazine, founded by Briton Hadden and Henry R. Luce, made its debut.

› 1945: The Allies fully secured the Philippine capital of Manila from Japanese forces during World War II.

› 1959: The United States launched the Pioneer 4 spacecraft, which flew by the moon.

› 1960: Lucille Ball filed for divorce from her husband, Desi Arnaz, a day after they’d finished filming the last episode of “The Lucille Ball-Desi Arnaz Show” (“Lucy Meets the Mustache”) on Arnaz’s 43rd birthday.

› 1991: Motorist Rodney King was severely beaten by Los Angeles police officers in a scene captured on amateur video.

› 2002: Voters in Switzerland approved joining the United Nations, abandoning almost 200 years of formal neutrality.

TODAY’S BIRTHDAYS

Socialite Lee Radziwill is 84. Singer-musician Mike Pender (The Searchers) is 76. Movie producer-director George Miller is 72. Singer-musician Robyn Hitchcock is 64. Actor Robert Gossett is 63. Rock musician John Lilley is 63. Actress Miranda Richardson is 59. Rock musician John Bigham is 58. Radio personality Ira Glass is 58. Actress Mary Page Keller is 56. Former NFL player and College Football Hall of Famer Herschel Walker is 55. Actress Laura Harring is 53. Contemporary Christian musician Duncan Phillips (Newsboys) is 53. Rapper-actor Tone Loc is 51. Actor David Faustino is 43. Gospel singer Jason Crabb is 40. Singer Ronan Keating (Boyzone) is 40. Rapper Lil’ Flip is 36. Actress Jessica Biel is 35. Rock musician Blower (AKA Joe Garvey) (Hinder) is 33. Pop singer Camila Cabello is 20.