Today In History

Today is Saturday, Feb. 6, the 37th day of 2021. There are 328 days left in the year.

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHT

› 1778: During the American Revolutionary War, the United States won official recognition and military support from France with the signing of a Treaty of Alliance in Paris.

ON THIS DATE

› 1756: America’s third vice president, Aaron Burr, was born in Newark, N.J.

› 1788: Massachusetts became the sixth state to ratify the U.S. Constitution.

› 1815: The state of New Jersey issued the first American railroad charter to John Stevens, who proposed a rail link between Trenton and New Brunswick. (The line, however, was never built.)

› 1862: During the Civil War, Fort Henry in Tennessee fell to Union forces.

› 1911: Ronald Wilson Reagan, the 40th president of the United States, was born in Tampico, Illinois.

› 1933: The 20th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, the so-called “lame duck” amendment, was proclaimed in effect by

Secretary of State Henry Stimson.

› 1998: President Bill Clinton signed a bill changing the name of Washington National Airport to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.

TODAY’S BIRTHDAYS

Actor Mamie Van Doren is 90. Actor Mike Farrell is 82. Former NBC News anchorman Tom Brokaw is

81. Singer Fabian is 78. Actor Gayle Hunnicutt is 78. Actor Michael Tucker is 76. Producer-director-writer Jim Sheridan is 72. Actor Jon Walmsley is 65. Actor Kathy Najimy is 64. Rock musician Simon Phillips (Toto) is 64. Actor-director Robert Townsend is 64. Actor Barry Miller is 63. Actor Megan Gallagher is 61. Rock singer Axl Rose (Guns N’ Roses) is 59. Country singer Richie McDonald is 59. Singer Rick Astley is

55. Rock musician Tim Brown (Boo Radleys) is 52. “Good Morning America” co-host Amy Robach is 48. Actor Josh Stewart is 44. Actor Ben Lawson is 41. Actor Brandon Hammond is

37. Actor Crystal Reed (TV: “Teen Wolf”) is

36. Actor Alice Greczyn is 35. Actor Anna Diop is 33. R&B singer/actor Tinashe is 28.