On this day, Jan. 10

1776 Thomas Paine anonymously published his influential pamphlet, “Common Sense,” which argued for American independence from British rule.

1859 The Western Pennsylvania Historical Society held its first meeting.

1946 The commonwealth of Pennsylvania asked the city of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County to contribute a total of $6 million as their share of the estimated $31 million cost of the Penn-Lincoln Parkway.

1967 The first black person elected to the U.S. Senate by popular vote — Edward W. Brooke, R-Mass.— took his seat in the Senate.

1994 President Bill Clinton, attending a NATO summit meeting in Brussels, announced completion of an agreement to remove all long-range nuclear missiles from the former Soviet republic of Ukraine.

2004 The Bake-Line Group announced the closing of its bakery at the former Nabisco plant site in East Liberty. Some items are from Stefan Lorant’s “Pittsburgh: The Story of an American City” (digital.library.pitt.edu/chronology). — Compiled by Rick Nowlin

Today’s birthdays: Opera singer Sherrill Milnes, 84. Rock singer-musician Ronnie Hawkins, 84. Movie director Walter Hill, 79. Actor William Sanderson, 75. Singer Rod Stewart, 74. Rock singer-musician Donald Fagen (Steely Dan), 71. Boxing Hall of Famer and entrepreneur George Foreman, 70. Roots rock singer Alejandro Escovedo, 68. Rock musician Scott Thurston (Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers),

67. Singer Pat Benatar, 66. Hall of Fame race car driver and team owner Bobby Rahal,

66. Rock musician Michael Schenker, 64. Singer Shawn Colvin, 63. Rock singer-musician Curt Kirkwood (Meat Puppets), 60. Actor Evan Handler,

58. Rock singer Brad Roberts (Crash Test Dummies), 55. Actress Trini Alvarado, 52. Rock singer Brent Smith (Shinedown), 41. Rapper Chris Smith (Kris Kross), 40. Actress Sarah Shahi, 39. Presidential adviser and sonin-law Jared Kushner, 38. American roots singer Valerie June, 37.

Thought for today: “You got to look on the bright side, even if there ain’t one.”