Today in history
OnMay 26,1521, Martin Lutherwas banned by the Edict ofWorms because of his religious beliefs and writings.
In1805Napoleon Bonaparte was crowned King of Italy in Milan.
In1864the Montana Territorywas organized.
In 1865 arrangements were
made in New Orleans for the surrender of Confederate forceswest of the Mississippi.
In1868the impeachment trial of President Andrew Johnson ended with his acquittal on all remaining charges.
In 1886 Asa Yoelson, who would becomeknownas entertainer Al Jolson, was born in Srednike, Russia.
In1907 Marion Morrison, who would becomeknownas actor JohnWayne, was born in Winterset, Iowa.
In1913Actors’ Equity Association, the entertainers union, was organized.
In1940the evacuation of Allied troops fromDunkirk, France, began duringWorld War II.
In1960U. N. Ambassador Henry Cabot Lodge accused the Soviets of hiding a microphone inside awood carving of the Great Seal of the United States that had been presented to theU.S. Embassy in Moscow.
In1969the Apollo 10 astronauts returned to Earth after a successful eight-day dress rehearsal for the first manned moonlanding.
In1977George Willig scaled the outside of the south tower of New York’s World Trade Center; hewas arrested at the top of the 110-story building.
In1978 the first legal casino in the eastern United States opened inAtlantic City.
In198114 peoplewere killed when a Marine jet crashed onto the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz off Florida.
In1988the National Hockey League’s Edmonton Oilers completed a four-game sweep of the Boston Bruins to capture their fourth Stanley Cup in five seasons.
In1991a Lauda Air Boeing 767 crashed in Thailand, killing all 223 people aboard.
In1992 the White House announced that the Coast Guardwas returning a group of Haitian refugees picked up at sea to their homeland under a newexecutive order signed by President George H.W. Bush.
In1994President Bill Clinton renewed trade privileges for China and announced his administration would no longer link China’s trade status with its humanrights record. Also in 1994Michael Jackson and Lisa Marie Presley were married in the Dominican Republic .( The marriage, however, ended in 1996.)
In1995, in the tobacco industry’s largest recall ever, Philip MorrisU.S.A. halted sales of several cigarette brands, including some versions of top-selling Marlboro, because some filterswere contaminated.
In1996Buddy Lazierwon the Indianapolis 500.
In1998the SupremeCourt madeit far more difficult for police to be sued by people hurt during high-speed chases. Also in 1998the SupremeCourt ruled that Ellis Island— historic gateway for millions of immigrants— is mainly inNewJersey, not NewYork.
In 2001 Republicans and moderate Democrats drove a sweeping $1.35 trillion, 10-year tax cut through Congress, handing President GeorgeW. Bush a political triumph.
In2002Alvaro Uribewas elected Colombia’s president. Also in2002Roman Polanski’s film “The Pianist” won thePalme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival.