Today In History
Today is Friday, Oct. 16, the 290th day of 2020. There are 76 days left in the year.
TODAY’S HIGHLIGHT
› 1968: American athletes Tommie Smith and John Carlos sparked controversy at the Mexico City Olympics by giving “Black power” salutes during a victory ceremony after they’d won gold and bronze medals in the 200-meter race.
ON THIS DATE
› 1859: Radical abolitionist John Brown led a group of 21 men in a raid on Harpers Ferry in western Virginia. (Ten of Brown’s men were killed and five escaped. Brown and six followers were captured; all were executed.)
› 1901: Booker T. Washington dined at the White House as the guest of President Theodore Roosevelt, whose invitation to the Black educator sparked controversy.
› 1962: The Cuban missile crisis began as President John F. Kennedy was informed that reconnaissance photographs had revealed the presence of missile bases in Cuba.
› 1995: A vast throng of Black men gathered in Washington, D.C., for the “Million Man March” led by Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan.
› 2002: President George W. Bush signed a congressional resolution authorizing war against Iraq. The White House announced that North Korea had disclosed it had a nuclear weapons program.
TODAY’S BIRTHDAYS
Actor Angela Lansbury is 95. Actor Peter Bowles is 84. Actor-producer Tony Anthony is 83. Actor Barry Corbin is 80. Sportscaster Tim McCarver is 79. Rock musician C.F. Turner (Bachman-Turner Overdrive) is
77. Actor Daniel Gerroll is
69. Actor Morgan Stevens is 69. Actor Martha Smith is 68. Comedian-actor Andy Kindler is 64. Actor-director Tim Robbins is 62. Actor-musician Gary Kemp is 61. Singer-musician Bob Mould is
60. Actor Randy Vasquez is 59. Rock musician Flea (Red Hot Chili Peppers) is 58. Movie director Kenneth Lonergan is 58. Actor Christian Stolte is 58. Rock singer Chad Gray (Mudvayne) is 49. Actor Paul Sparks is 49. Actor Kellie Martin is 45. Singer John Mayer is 43. Actor Jeremy Jackson is
40. Actor Caterina Scorsone is 40. Actor Brea Grant is 39. Actor Kyler Pettis is 28. Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Bryce Harper is 28. Tennis star Naomi Osaka is 23.