TODAY IN HISTORY

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHT

1965

Astronaut Edward H. White became the first American to “walk” in space during the flight of Gemini 4.

ALSO ON THIS DATE

1861

Illinois Sen. Stephen A. Douglas, the Democratic presidential nominee in the 1860 election, died in Chicago of typhoid fever; he was 48.

1924

Author Franz Kafka, 40, died near Vienna.

1935

The French liner Normandie set a record on its maiden voyage, arriving in New York after crossing the Atlantic in just four days.

1943

Los Angeles saw the beginning of its “Zoot Suit Riots” as white servicemen clashed with young Latinos wearing distinctive-looking zoot suits; the violence finally ended when military officials declared the city off limits to enlisted personnel.

1948

The 200-inch reflecting Hale Telescope at the Palomar Mountain Observatory in California was dedicated.

1962

Air France Flight 007, a U.S.bound Boeing 707, crashed while attempting to take off from Orly Airport near Paris; all but two of the 132people aboard were killed.

1963

Pope John XXIII died at age 81; he was succeeded by Pope Paul VI.

1977

The United States and Cuba agreed to set up diplomatic interests sections in each other’s countries; Cuba also announced the immediate release of 10 Americans jailed on drug charges.

1989

Iran’s spiritual leader, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, died. On the same day, Chinese army troops began their sweep of Beijing to crush student-led pro-democracy demonstrations.