DAILY ALMANAC
Today is Wednesday, Sept. 8, the 251st day of 2021. There are 114 days left in the year.
On this date:
1504: Michelangelo’s towering marble statue of David was unveiled to the public in Florence, Italy.
1565: A Spanish expedition established the first permanent European settlement in North America at presentday St. Augustine, Florida.
1664: The Dutch surrendered New Amsterdam to the British, who renamed it New York.
1761: Britain’s King George III married Princess Charlotte of Mecklenburgstrelitz a few hours after meeting her for the first time.
1892: An early version of “The Pledge of Allegiance,” written by Francis Bellamy, appeared in “The Youth’s Companion.” It read: “I pledge allegiance to my
Flag and the Republic for which it stands, one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”
1900: Galveston, Texas, was struck by a hurricane that killed an estimated 8,000 people.
1935: Sen. Huey P. Long, a Louisiana Democrat, was shot and mortally wounded inside the Louisiana State Capitol; he died two days later. (The assailant was identified as Dr. Carl Weiss, who was gunned down by Long’s bodyguards.)
1939: President Franklin D. Roosevelt declared a “limited national emergency” in response to the outbreak of war in Europe.
1941: The 900-day Siege of Leningrad by German forces began during World War II.
1943: During World War II, Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower announced Italy’s
surrender; Nazi Germany denounced Italy’s decision as a cowardly act.
1964: Public schools in Prince Edward County, Virginia, reopened after being closed for five years by officials attempting to prevent court-ordered racial desegregation.
1974: President Gerald R. Ford granted a “full, free, and absolute pardon” to former President Richard Nixon covering his entire term in office.
2019: Rafael Nadal held off a strong comeback bid to win his 19th Grand Slam title in a five-set U.S. Open final against Daniil Medvedev.
Ventriloquist Willie Tyler (with Lester) is 81. Actor Alan Feinstein is 80. Singer Sal Valentino of The Beau Brummels is 79. Bassist Will Lee of the CBS Orchestra (“Late Show with David Letterman”) is 69. Actor Heather Thomas (“The Fall Guy”) is 64. Singer Aimee Mann is 61. Bassist David Steele of Fine Young Cannibals is 61. Actor Thomas Kretschmann (“The Pianist”) is 59. Singer Marc Gordon of Levert is 57. Gospel singer Darlene Zschech is 56. Singer Neko Case is 51. Actor David Arquette is 50. Actor Martin Freeman (“Black Panther,” “The Hobbit”) is 50. TV personality Kennedy is 49. Drummer Richard Hughes of Keane is 46. Actor Larenz Tate is 46. Actor Nathan Corddry (“Mom,”) is 44. Singer Pink is 42. Singer-songwriter Eric Hutchinson is 41. Actor Jonathan Taylor Thomas (“Home Improvement”) is 40. Rapper Wiz Khalifa is 34. Actor Gaten Matarazzo (“Stranger Things”) is 19.