Today In History

Today is Friday, Jan. 22, the 22nd day of 2021. There are 343 days left in the year.

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHT

› 1973: The U.S. Supreme Court, in its Roe v. Wade decision, declared a nationwide constitutional right to abortion.

ON THIS DATE

› 1901: Britain’s Queen Victoria died at age 81 after a reign of 63 years; she was succeeded by her eldest son, Edward VII.

› 1907: The Richard Strauss opera “Salome” made its American debut at the Metropolitan Opera in New York; its racy content sparked outrage and forced cancellation of additional performances.

› 1944: During World War II, Allied forces began landing at Anzio, Italy.

› 1970: The first regularly scheduled commercial flight of the Boeing 747 began in New York and ended in London some 6 1/2 hours later.

› 1973: George Foreman upset reigning heavyweight champion Joe Frazier with a second round TKO in their match in Kingston, Jamaica.

› 1987: Pennsylvania treasurer R. Budd Dwyer, convicted of defrauding the state, proclaimed his innocence at a news conference before pulling out a gun, placing the barrel in his mouth and shooting himself to death in front of horrified onlookers.

› 1997: The Senate confirmed Madeleine Albright as the nation’s first female secretary of state.

TODAY’S BIRTHDAYS

Actor Piper Laurie is 89. Celebrity chef Graham Kerr (TV: “The Galloping Gourmet”) is 87. Author Joseph Wambaugh is 84. Singer Steve Perry is 72. Country singer-musician Teddy Gentry (Alabama) is 69. Movie director Jim Jarmusch is 68. Actor John Wesley Shipp is 66. Hockey Hall of Famer Mike Bossy is 64. Actor Linda Blair is 62. Actor Diane Lane is 56. Actor and rap DJ Jazzy Jeff is 56. Celebrity chef Guy Fieri is 53. Actor Olivia d’Abo is 52. Actor Katie Finneran is 50. Actor Gabriel Macht is 49. Actor Balthazar Getty is 46. Actor Christopher Kennedy Masterson is 41. Jazz singer Lizz Wright is 41. Pop singer Willa Ford is 40. Actor Beverley Mitchell is 40. Rock singer-musician Ben Moody is 40. Actor Kevin Sheridan is 39. Actor-singer Phoebe Strole is 38. Rapper Logic is 31. Tennis player Alizé Cornet is 31. Actor Sami Gayle is 25.