Today in history
Today is Saturday, June 16, the 167th day of 2018. There are 198 days left in the year.
Today’s Highlight in History:
On June 16, 1963, the world’s first female space traveler, Valentina Tereshkova (teh-ruhsh-KOH’vuh), 26, was launched into orbit by the Soviet Union aboard Vostok 6; Tereshkova spent 71 hours in flight, circling the Earth 48 times before returning safely. On this date: In 1567, Mary, Queen of Scots, was imprisoned in Lochleven Castle in Scotland. (She escaped almost a year later but ended up imprisoned again.)
In 1779, the nearly fouryear Great Siege of Gibraltar began as Spain declared war on Britain.
In 1858, accepting the Illinois Republican Party’s nomination for the U.S. Senate, Abraham Lincoln said the slavery issue had to be resolved, declaring, “A house divided against itself cannot stand.”
In 1903, Ford Motor Co. was incorporated.
In 1933, the National Industrial Recovery Act became law with President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s signature. (The Act was later struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court.) The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. was founded as President Roosevelt signed the Banking Act of 1933.
In 1943, comedian Charles Chaplin, 54, married his fourth wife, Oona O’Neill, the 18-year-old daughter of playwright Eugene O’Neill, in Carpinteria, California.
In 1944, George Stinney, a 14-year-old black youth, was electrocuted by the state of South Carolina for the murders of two white girls, Betty June Binnicker, 11, and Mary Emma Thames, 7.
In 1958, the Supreme Court, in Kent v. Dulles, ruled that artist Rockwell Kent could not be denied a passport because of his communist affiliations. Imre Nagy (IM’-ray nahj), premier of Hungary during the 1956 rebellion, was executed in Budapest for treason.
In 1978, President Jimmy Carter and Panamanian leader Omar Torrijos (toh-REE’-ohs) signed the instruments of ratification for the Panama Canal treaties during a ceremony in Panama City.
In 1988, impeached and ousted Arizona Governor Evan Mecham (MEE’-kum) and his brother, Willard, were acquitted by a Phoenix jury of concealing a $350,000 campaign loan.
In 1996, Russian voters went to the polls in their first independent presidential election; the result was a runoff between President Boris Yeltsin (the eventual winner) and Communist challenger Gennady Zyuganov (geh-NAH’dee zyooGAH’-nawf). Sportscaster Mel Allen died in Greenwich, Connecticut, at age 83.
In 2015, real estate mogul Donald Trump launched his successful campaign to become President of the United States with a speech at Trump Tower in Manhattan.
Ten years ago: Former Vice President Al Gore announced his endorsement of fellow Democrat Barack Obama for president. A California Supreme Court ruling that overturned the state’s bans on samesex marriage became final at 5:01 p.m. Pacific time, prompting dozens of gay couples to tie the knot. Tiger Woods, playing on a throbbing injured knee, won an epic U.S. Open after a 19-hole playoff at Torrey Pines with Rocco Mediate (MEE’-dee-ayt).
Five years ago: Riot police firing tear gas and water cannons repelled thousands of anti-government protesters attempting to converge on Istanbul’s central Taksim Square while Prime Minister Recep Tayipp Erdogan (REH’-jehp TY’-ihp UR’-doh-wahn) defended the crackdown at a rally of his supporters. Justin Rose captured his first major championship and became the first Englishman in 43 years to win the U.S. Open, shooting a closing 70 at Merion Golf Club in Ardmore, Pennsylvania, for a 1-over 281 total. Connecticut accountant Erin Brady won the Miss USA pageant in Las Vegas.
One year ago: President Donald Trump acknowledged for the first time that he was under federal investigation as part of the expanding probe into Russia’s election meddling as he lashed out at a top Justice Department official