TODAY IN HISTORY

Today is Tuesday, Jan. 17, the 17th day of 2017. There are 348 days left in the year.

Today’s Highlight in History:

On Jan. 17, 1917, Denmark ceded the Virgin Islands to the United States for $25 million.

On this date:

In 1929, the cartoon character Popeye the Sailor made his debut in the “Thimble Theatre” comic strip.

In 1945, Soviet and Polish forces liberated Warsaw during World War II; Swedish diplomat Raoul Wallenberg, credited with saving tens of thousands of Jews, disappeared in Hungary while in Soviet custody.

In 1946, the United Nations Security Council held its first meeting, in London.

In 1950, the Great Brink’s Robbery took place as seven masked men held up a Brink’s garage in Boston, stealing $1.2 million in cash and $1.5 million in checks and money orders. (Although the entire gang was caught, only part of the loot was recovered.)

In 1961, President Dwight D. Eisenhower delivered his farewell address in which he warned against “the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex.”

In 1966, a U.S. Air Force B-52 carrying four unarmed hydrogen bombs crashed on the Spanish coast. (Three of the bombs were quickly recovered, but the fourth wasn’t recovered until April.)

In 1984, the U.S. Supreme Court, in Sony Corp. of America v. Universal City Studios, Inc., ruled 5-4 that the use of home video cassette recorders to tape television programs for private viewing did not violate federal copyright laws.

In 1987, hundreds of Ku Klux Klan members and supporters disrupted a “brotherhood anti-intimidation march” through all-white Forsyth County, Georgia.

In 1995, more than 6,000 people were killed when an earthquake with a magnitude of 7.2 devastated the city of Kobe, Japan.

Ten years ago: Pulitzer Prizewinning satirist Art Buchwald died in Washington, D.C., at age 81.

Five years ago: Johnny Otis, the “godfather of rhythm and blues” died in Los Angeles at age 90.

One year ago: Iran released three Americans, former U.S. Marine Amir Hekmati, Washington Post reporter Jason Rezaian and pastor Saeed Abedini in a prisoner swap that also netted Tehran $100 billion in sanctions relief.

Today’s Birthdays: Actress Betty White is 95. Former FCC chairman Newton N. Minow is 91. Actor James Earl Jones is 86. Talk show host Maury Povich is 78. Pop singer Chris Montez is 75. Rhythm-and-blues singer William Hart (The Delfonics) is 72. Actorcomedian Steve Harvey is 60. Actor-comedian Jim Carrey is 55. First lady Michelle Obama is 53.

Thought for Today: “Whether it is the best of times or the worst of times, it is the only time we have.”—Art Buchwald (1925-2007).