Today In History

Today is Saturday, June 23, the 174th day of 2018. There are 191 days left in the year.

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHT

› 1868: Christopher Latham Sholes received a patent for his “Type-Writer,” featuring a QWERTY keyboard; it was the first commercially successful typewriter.

ON THIS DATE

› 1314: During the First War of Scottish Independence, the two-day Battle of Bannockburn, resulting in victory for the forces of Robert the Bruce over the army of King Edward II, began near Stirling.

› 1537: Spanish explorer Pedro de Mendoza, the founder of Buenos Aires, died aboard his ship while heading back to Spain.

› 1757: Forces of the East India Company led by Robert Clive won the Battle of Plassey, which effectively marked the beginning of British colonial rule in India.

› 1892: The Democratic national convention in Chicago nominated former President Grover Cleveland on the first ballot.

› 1938: The Civil Aeronautics Authority was established.

› 1947: The Senate joined the House in overriding President Harry S. Truman’s veto of the Taft-Hartley Act, designed to limit the power of organized labor.

› 1968: A syndicated newspaper column by Joseph Kraft coined the term “Middle America.”

› 1972: President Nixon signed Title IX barring discrimination on the basis of sex for “any education program or activity receiving federal financial assistance.”

TODAY’S BIRTHDAYS

Singer Diana Trask is

78. Musical conductor James Levine is 75. Actor Ted Shackelford is 72. Actor Bryan Brown is 71. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas is 70. Actor Jim Metzler is 67. “American Idol” ex-judge Randy Jackson is 62. Actress Frances McDormand is 61. Rock musician Steve Shelley (Sonic Youth) is 56. Actor Paul La Greca is 56. Writer-director Joss Whedon is 54. Rhythm and blues singer Chico DeBarge is 48. Actress Selma Blair is 46. Actor Joel Edgerton is 44. Rock singer KT Tunstall is 43. Rhythm and blues singer Virgo Williams (Ghostowns DJs) is 43. Actress Emmanuelle Vaugier is 42. Singer-songwriter Jason Mraz is 41. Football Hall of Famer LaDainian Tomlinson is

39. Rock singer Duffy is

34. Country singer Katie Armiger is 27.