Today In History

Today is Thursday, April 6, the 96th day of 2017. There are 269 days left in the year.

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHT

› 1917: The United States entered World War I as the House joined the Senate in approving a declaration of war against Germany that was then signed by President Woodrow Wilson.

ON THIS DATE

› 1830: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was organized by Joseph Smith in Fayette, New York.

› 1886: The Canadian city of Vancouver, British Columbia, was incorporated.

› 1896: The first modern Olympic games formally opened in Athens, Greece.

› 1909: American explorers Robert E. Peary and Matthew A. Henson and four Inuits became the first men to reach the North Pole.

› 1947: The first Tony Awards were held in New York; this event, focusing on individual achievement rather than specific works, honored Ingrid Bergman, Helen Hayes, Jose Ferrer, Fredric March and playwright Arthur Miller, among others.

› 1965: The United States launched Intelsat I, also known as the “Early Bird” communications satellite, into geosynchronous orbit.

› 1980: 3M introduced its “Post-it Notes,” a rebranding of a product formerly known as “Press ’n Peel.”

TODAY’S BIRTHDAYS

Nobel Prize-winning scientist James D. Watson is 89. Composer-conductor Andre Previn is 88. Actor Billy Dee Williams is 80. Actor Roy Thinnes is 79. Movie director Barry Levinson is 75. Actor John Ratzenberger is 70. Actress Patrika Darbo is 69. Baseball Hall of Famer Bert Blyleven is

66. Actress Marilu Henner is 65. Olympic bronze medal figure skater Janet Lynn is 64. Actor Michael Rooker is 62. Former U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Minn., is 61. Rock musician Warren Haynes is

57. Rock singer-musician Frank Black is 52. Actress Ari Meyers is 48. Actor Paul Rudd is 48. Rock musician Markku Lappalainen is 44. Actor Zach Braff is 42. Actor Joel Garland is 42. Actress Candace Cameron Bure is 41. Actor Teddy Sears is 40. Jazz and rhythm and blues musician Robert Glasper is 39. Actress Eliza Coupe is 36. Folk singer-musician Kenneth Pattengale (Milk Carton Kids) is 35. Actor Bret Harrison is 35. Actor Charlie McDermott is 27.