×

Today in History

Today is the 178th day of 2017. There are 187 days left in the year.

Today’s Highlight in History:

On June 27, 1957, Hurricane Audrey slammed into coastal Louisiana and Texas as a Category 4 storm; the death toll from the storm was placed at 390, although a variety of state, federal and local sources have estimated the number of fatalities at between 400 and 600.

On this date:

In 1787, English historian Edward Gibbon completed work on his six-volume work, “The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire.”

In 1844, Mormon leader Joseph Smith and his brother, Hyrum, were killed by a mob in Carthage, Illinois.

In 1905, the Industrial Workers of the World was founded in Chicago.

In 1986, the International Court of Justice at The Hague ruled the United States had broken international law and violated the sovereignty of Nicaragua by aiding the contras.

In 1991, Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall, the first black jurist to sit on the nation’s highest court, announced his retirement.

One year ago: The U.S. Supreme Court issued its strongest defense of abortion rights in a quarter-century, striking down 5-3 Texas’ widely replicated rules that sharply reduced abortion clinics in the nation’s second-most-populous state. Mack Rice, composer of the ’60s hit “Mustang Sally” and co-writer of the Staple Singers’ landmark “Respect Yourself,” died in Detroit at age 82.

Today’s Birthdays: Business executive Ross Perot is 87. Singer-musician Bruce Johnston (The Beach Boys) is 75. Fashion designer Vera Wang is 68. Actress Julia Duffy is 66. Actress Isabelle Adjani is 62. Country singer Lorrie Morgan is 58. Actor Brian Drillinger is 57. Olympic gold and bronze medal figure skater Viktor Petrenko is 48. Actor Edward “Grapevine” Fordham Jr. is 47. TV personality Jo Frost is 47. Actor Yancey Arias is 46. Actor Christian Kane is 43. Actor Tobey Maguire is 42. Rock singer Bernhoft is 41. Musician Chris Eldridge (Punch Brothers) is 35. Reality TV star Khloe Kardashian is 33. Actor Drake Bell is 31. Actor Sam Claflin is 31. Actress India de Beaufort is 30. Actor Ed Westwick is 30. Actress Madylin Sweeten is 26.

Thought for Today: “A man, after he has brushed off the dust and chips of his life, will have left only the hard, clean question: Was it good or was it evil? Have I done well — or ill?” — John Steinbeck, American author (1902-1968).

NEWSLETTER

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *

COMMENTS

[vivafbcomment]

Starting at $4.73/week.

Subscribe Today