Today In History

Today is Saturday, March 31, the 90th day of 2018. There are 275 days left in the year.

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHT

› 1968: At the conclusion of a nationally broadcast address on Vietnam, President Lyndon B. Johnson stunned listeners by declaring, “I shall not seek, and I will not accept, the nomination of my party for another term as your President.”

ON THIS DATE

› 1492: King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain issued an edict expelling Jews from Spanish soil, except those willing to convert to Christianity.

› 1889: French engineer Gustave Eiffel unfurled the French tricolor from atop the Eiffel Tower, officially marking its completion.

› 1917: The United States took formal possession of the Virgin Islands from Denmark.

› 1923: The first U.S. dance marathon, held in New York City, ended with Alma Cummings, who had danced with six consecutive male partners, setting a world record of 27 hours on her feet.

› 1933: President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Emergency Conservation Work Act, which created the Civilian Conservation Corps.

› 1943: “Oklahoma!,” the first musical play by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II, opened on Broadway.

› 1958: The Chuck Berry single “Johnny B. Goode” was first released on the Chess label.

TODAY’S BIRTHDAYS

Actor William Daniels is 91. Actor Richard Chamberlain is 84. Actress Shirley Jones is

84. Actor Christopher Walken is 75. Comedian Gabe Kaplan is 74. Sen. Angus King, I-Maine, is

74. Rock musician Mick Ralphs (Bad Company; Mott the Hoople) is 74. Former Vice President Al Gore is 70. Actor Robbie Coltrane is 68. Actor Ed Marinaro is 68. Rock musician Angus Young (AC/DC) is 63. Actor Marc McClure is 61. Actor William McNamara is 53. Alt-country musician Bob Crawford (The Avett Brothers) is 47. Actor Ewan McGregor is 47. Actress Judi Shekoni is 40. Rapper Tony Yayo is 40. Actor Brian Tyree Henry (TV: “Atlanta” Stage: “Book of Mormon”) is 36. Actress Melissa Ordway is 35. Jazz musician Christian Scott is 35. Pop musician Jack Antonoff (fun.) is

34. Actress Jessica Szohr is 33.