Today In History
Today is Thursday, May 4, the 124th day of 2017. There are 241 days left in the year.
TODAY’S HIGHLIGHT
› 1942: The Battle of the Coral Sea, the first naval clash fought entirely with carrier aircraft, began in the Pacific during World War II. (The outcome was considered a tactical victory for Imperial Japan, but ultimately a strategic one for the Allies.)
ON THIS DATE
› 1776: Rhode Island declared its freedom from England, two months before the Declaration of Independence was adopted.
› 1830: The Edward Bulwer-Lytton novel “Paul Clifford,” with its famous opening, “It was a dark and stormy night ...,” was first published in London.
› 1904: The United States took over construction of the Panama Canal from the French.
› 1959: The first Grammy Awards ceremony was held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel.
› 1961: The first group of “Freedom Riders” left Washington, D.C., to challenge racial segregation on interstate buses and in bus terminals.
› 1970: Ohio National Guardsmen opened fire during an anti-war protest at Kent State University, killing four students and wounding nine others.
› 1994: Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and PLO leader Yasser Arafat signed an accord on Palestinian autonomy that granted self-rule in the Gaza Strip and Jericho.
TODAY’S BIRTHDAYS
The former president of Egypt, Hosni Mubarak, is 89. Katherine Jackson, matriarch of the Jackson musical family, is 87. Jazz musician Ron Carter is 80. Pop singer Peggy Santiglia Davison (The Angels) is 73. Actor Richard Jenkins is 70. Country singer Stella Parton is
68. Actor-turned-clergyman Hilly Hicks is 67. Irish musician Darryl Hunt (The Pogues) is
67. Singer Jackie Jackson (The Jacksons) is 66. Country singer Randy Travis is 58. Actress Mary McDonough is 56. Comedian Ana Gasteyer is 50. Actor Will Arnett is
47. Rock musician Mike Dirnt (Green Day) is 45. Contemporary Christian singer Chris Tomlin is
45. Singer Lance Bass (‘N Sync) is 38. Actress Ruth Negga is 36. Rapper/ singer Jidenna is 32. Actor Alexander Gould is 23. Country singer RaeLynn is 23. Actress Amara Miller is 17.