THIS DAY IN HISTORY

Today is Friday, Feb. 26, the 57th day of 2021. There are 308 days left in the year.

Today’s Highlight in History:

On Feb. 26, 1993, a truck bomb built by Islamic extremists exploded in the parking garage of the North Tower of New York’s World Trade Center, killing six people and injuring more than 1,000 others. (The bomb failed to topple the North Tower into the South Tower, as the terrorists had hoped; both structures were destroyed in the 9/11 attack eight years later.)

On this date:

In 1904, the United States and Panama proclaimed a treaty under which the U.S. agreed to undertake efforts to build a ship canal across the Panama isthmus.

In 1940, the United States Air Defense Command was created.

In 1942, “How Green Was My Valley” won the Academy Award for Best Picture of 1941, beating out nine other films, including “The Maltese Falcon” and “Citizen Kane.”

In 1945, authorities ordered a midnight curfew at nightclubs, bars and other places of entertainment across the nation.

In 1952, Prime Minister Winston Churchill announced that Britain had developed its own atomic bomb.

In 1966, South Korean troops sent to fight in the Vietnam War massacred at least 380 civilians in Go Dai hamlet.

In 1984, the last U.S. Marines deployed to Beirut as part of an international peacekeeping force withdrew from the Lebanese capital.

In 1994, a jury in San Antonio acquitted 11 followers of David Koresh of murder, rejecting claims they had ambushed federal agents; five were convicted of voluntary manslaughter.

In 1998, a jury in Amarillo, Texas, rejected an $11 million lawsuit brought by Texas cattlemen who blamed Oprah Winfrey’s talk show for a price fall after a segment on food safety that included a discussion about mad cow disease.

In 2014, Republican Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer vetoed a bill pushed by social conservatives that would have allowed people with sincerely held religious beliefs to refuse to serve gays.

In 2017, at the 89th Academy Awards, “Moonlight” won three Oscars, including best picture of 2016 (in a startling gaffe, the musical “La La Land” was mistakenly announced as the best picture winner.)

Woonsocket

The Museum of Work & Culture, a division of the Rhode Island Historical Society, is currently closed to the public, but offers virtual tours on Wednesdays at 2 p.m. Tickets for the virtual tours can be purchased by visiting rihs.org.

Blackstone Valley/State

Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park will once again offer its annual winter lecture series discussing the Blackstone Valley’s role as an incubator for revolutionary thought and action. This six-part series, hosted via Zoom, will cover a variety of topics, including labor reform, ethnic religion and politics, the cotton economy and architecture. Presentations begin on Saturday afternoons at 2 p.m. and lectures will be offered on March 6, March 20 and April 3. The

lectures are free and open to the public. Registration is required to receive the Zoom link, and can be found at https://bit.ly/RevolutionInTheAir.

Cumberland

Storytime (on Zoom) is back at the Cumberland Public Library! Beginning Jan. 12, join the library Tuesdays at 6:30 p.m., Wednesdays at 10:30 a.m., and Thursdays at 10:30 a.m. on Zoom to enjoy great stories, songs and rhymes with the Children’s Staff! Online registration is required at least 2 hours prior to the start of the program. Register for each storytime individually. For additional information, please contact the Children’s Room at (401) 333-2552, ext. 3, visit www.cumberlandlibrary.org, or email read@ cumberlandlibrary.org.

Pawtucket

• The Empowerment Factory, in collaboration with the Rhode Island Department of Education, is offering free