Today’s highlight in history
On Aug. 19, 1934, a plebiscite in Germany approved the vesting of sole executive power in Adolf Hitler.
On this date
In 1812, the USS Constitution defeated the British frigate HMS Guerriere off Nova Scotia during the War of 1812, earning the nickname “Old Ironsides.”
In 1848, The New York Herald reported the discovery of gold in California.
In 1909, The first automobile races were run at the just-opened Indianapolis Motor Speedway; the winner of the first event was auto engineer Louis Schwitzer, who drove a Stoddard-Dayton touring car twice around the 2.5-mile track at an average speed of 57.4 mph.
In 1976, President Gerald R. Ford won the Republican presidential nomination at the party’s convention in Kansas City.
In 1980, 301 people aboard a Saudi Arabian L-1011 died as the jetliner made a fiery emergency return to the Riyadh airport.
In 1982, Soviet cosmonaut Svetlana Savitskaya became the second woman to be launched into space.
In 2004, Google began trading on the Nasdaq Stock Market, ending the day up $15.34 at $100.34.
Ten years ago: Suicide bombers struck Iraq’s finance and foreign ministries, killing more than 100 people.
Five years ago: A video released by Islamic State militants purported to show the beheading of American journalist James Foley as retribution for U.S. airstrikes in Iraq.
One year ago: “Crazy Rich Asians,” in its opening weekend in American theaters, was the top moneymaking film.