Today In History

Today is Thursday, April 25, the 115th day of 2019. There are 250 days left in the year.

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHT

› 1507: A world map produced by German cartographer Martin Waldseemueller contained the first recorded use of the term “America,” in honor of Italian navigator Amerigo Vespucci.

ON THIS DATE

› 1859: Ground was broken for the Suez Canal.

› 1898: The United States Congress declared war on Spain; the 10-week conflict resulted in an American victory.

› 1915: During World War I, Allied soldiers invaded the Gallipoli Peninsula in an unsuccessful attempt to take the Ottoman Empire out of the war.

› 1945: During World War II, U.S. and Soviet forces linked up on the Elbe River, a meeting that dramatized the collapse of Nazi Germany’s defenses. Delegates from some 50 countries gathered in San Francisco to organize the United Nations.

› 1959: The St. Lawrence Seaway opened to shipping.

› 1972: Polaroid Corp. introduced its SX-70 folding camera, which ejected self-developing photographs.

› 1990: The Hubble Space Telescope was deployed in orbit from the space shuttle Discovery.

› 1993: Hundreds of thousands of gay rights activists and their supporters marched in Washington, D.C., demanding equal rights and freedom from discrimination.

TODAY’S BIRTHDAYS

Actor Al Pacino is 79. Ballroom dance judge Len Goodman (TV: “Dancing with the Stars”) is 75. Rock musician Stu Cook (Creedence Clearwater Revival) is 74. Singer Bjorn Ulvaeus (ABBA) is 74. Actress Talia Shire is 74. Actor Jeffrey DeMunn is 72. Rock musician Steve Ferrone (Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers) is 69. Country singer-songwriter Rob Crosby is 65. Actor Hank Azaria is 55. Rock singer Andy Bell (Erasure) is 55. Rock musician Eric Avery is 54. Country musician Rory Feek (Joey + Rory) is 54. TV personality Jane Clayson is 52. Actor Jason Lee is 49. Actor Jason Wiles is 49. Actress Emily Bergl is 44. Actress Marguerite Moreau is 42. Singer Jacob Underwood is 39. Actress Melonie Diaz is 35. Actress Sara Paxton is 31. Actress Allisyn Ashley Arm is 23. Actress Jayden Rey is 10.