On this day, Dec. 1
1824 The presidential election was turned over to the U.S. House of Representatives when a deadlock developed among John Quincy Adams, Andrew Jackson, William H. Crawford and Henry Clay. (Adams ended up the winner.)
1862 President Abraham Lincoln sent his Second Annual Message to Congress, in which he called for the abolition of slavery, and went on to say, “Fellow-citizens, we can not escape history. We of this Congress and this Administration will be remembered in spite of ourselves.”
1941 Japan’s Emperor Hirohito approved waging war against the United States, Britain and the Netherlands after his government rejected U.S. demands contained in the Hull Note.
1942 During World War II, nationwide gasoline rationing went into effect in the United States; the goal was not so much to save on gas but to conserve rubber that was desperately needed for the war effort by reducing the use of tires.
1955 Rosa Parks, a Black seamstress, was arrested after refusing to give up her seat to a white man on a Montgomery, Ala., city bus; the incident sparked a yearlong boycott of the buses by Blacks.
1965 An airlift of refugees from Cuba to the U.S. began in which thousands of Cubans were allowed to leave their homeland. 1969 The U.S. held its first draft lottery since World War II. 1991 Ukrainians voted for independence from the Soviet Union. 2017 Retired Gen. Michael Flynn, who served as President Donald Trump’s first national security adviser, pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI about reaching out to the Russians on Mr. Trump’s behalf. (General Flynn would be pardoned by Mr. Trump after twice pleading guilty to lying to the FBI.)
2020 Disputing President Donald Trump’s persistent, baseless claims, Attorney General William Barr told The Associated Press that the U.S. Justice Department had uncovered no evidence of widespread voter fraud that could change the outcome of the 2020 election.
Today’s birthdays: Actor-director Woody Allen, 87. World Golf Hall of Famer Lee Trevino, 83. Singer Dianne Lennon (The Lennon Sisters), 83. Television producer David Salzman, 79. Rock musician John Densmore (The Doors), 78. Actor-singer Bette Midler, 77. Singer Gilbert O’Sullivan, 76. Former child actor Keith Thibodeaux (TV: “I Love Lucy”), 72. Actor Treat Williams, 71. Country singer Kim Richey, 66. Actor Charlene Tilton, 64. Actor-model Carol Alt, 62. Actor Jeremy Northam, 61. Actor Katherine LaNasa, 56. Producer-director Andrew Adamson, 56. Actor Nestor Carbonell, 55. Actor Golden Brooks, 52. Actor-comedian Sarah Silverman, 52. Actor Ron Melendez, 50. Contemporary Christian singer Bart Millard, 50. Actor-writer-producer David Hornsby, 47. Singer Sarah Masen, 47. Rock musician Brad Delson (Linkin Park), 45. Actor Nate Torrence, 45. Rock/Christian music singer-songwriter Mat Kearney, 44. Actor Riz Ahmed, 40. Actor Charles Michael Davis, 38. Actor Ilfenesh Hadera, 37. R&B singer-actor Janelle Monae, 37. Actor Ashley Monique Clark, 34. Pop-rock-rap singer Tyler Joseph (Twenty One Pilots), 34. Actor Zoe Kravitz, 34. Pop singer Nico Sereba (Nico & Vinz), 32. Actor Jackson Nicoll, 19.