SUNDAY IN HISTORY

Today is Sunday, July 2, the 183rd day of 2017. There are 182 days left in the year.

Highlight in History:

On July 2, 1937, aviator AmeliaEarhart and navigator Fred Noonan disappeared over the Pacific Ocean while attempting to make the first round-the-world flight along the equator.

On this date:

In 1776, the Continental Congress passed a resolution saying that “these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent States.”

In 1881, President James A. Garfield was shot by Charles J. Guiteau at the Washington railroad station; Garfield died the following September. (Guiteau was hanged in June 1882.)

In 1917, rioting erupted in East St. Louis, Illinois, as white mobs attacked black residents; nearly 50 people, mostly blacks, are believed to have died in the violence.

In 1926, the United States Army Air Corps was created.

In 1961, author Ernest Hemingway shot himself to death at his home in Ketchum, Idaho.

In 1964, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed into law a sweeping civil rights bill passed by Congress.

In 1987, 18 Mexican immigrants were found dead inside a locked boxcar near Sierra Blanca, Texas, in what authorities called a botched smuggling attempt; a 19th man survived.

Ten years ago: President George W. Bush commuted the sentence of former aide I. Lewis “Scooter” Libby, sparing him a 2-1/2-year prison term in the CIA leak case.

Five years ago: The U.S. Justice Department said British drugmaker GlaxoSmithKline would pay $3 billion in fines for criminal and civil violations involving 10 drugs taken by millions of people.

One year ago: Hillary Clinton was voluntarily interviewed for 3 1/2 hours by the FBI at the agency’s Washington headquarters about her use of a private email server as secretary of state.

Today’s Birthdays: Actor Robert Ito is 86. Racing Hall of Famer Richard Petty is 80. Writer-director-comedian Larry David is 70. Actressmodel Jerry Hall is 61. Country singer Guy Penrod is 54. Race car driver Sam Hornish Jr. is 38. Singer Michelle Branch is 34. Figure skater Johnny Weir is 33. Actress Lindsay Lohan is 31. Actress Margot Robbie is 27.

Thought for Today: “Let all of life be an unfettered howl. Like the crowd greeting the gladiator. Don’t stop to think, don’t interrupt the scream, exhale, release life’s rapture.” — Vladimir Nabokov (1899-1977).