Today in History
Today is Monday, Sept. 4, the 247th day of 2023. There are 118 days left in the year.
Today’s Highlight in History:
On Sept. 4, 2016, elevating the “saint of the gutters” to one of the Catholic Church’s highest honors, Pope Francis canonized Mother Teresa, praising her radical dedication to society’s outcasts and her courage in shaming world leaders for the “crimes of poverty they themselves created.”
On this date:
In 1781, Los Angeles was founded by Spanish settlers under the leadership of Governor Felipe de Neve.
In 1862, during the Civil War, Confederate forces led by Gen. Robert E. Lee began invading Maryland.
In 1888, George Eastman received a patent for his roll-film box camera, and registered his trademark: “Kodak.”
In 1944, during World War II, British troops liberated Antwerp, Belgium.
In 1957, Arkansas Gov. Orval Faubus used Arkansas National Guardsmen to prevent nine Black students from entering all-white Central High School in Little Rock.
In 1969, the Food and Drug Administration issued a report calling birth control pills “safe,” despite a slight risk of fatal blood-clotting disorders linked to the pills.
In 1972, U.S. swimmer Mark Spitz won a seventh gold medal at the Munich Olympics in the 400-meter medley relay.
In 1974, the United States established diplomatic relations with East Germany.
In 1999, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat signed a breakthrough land-for-security agreement during a ceremony in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt.
In 2005, six days after Hurricane Katrina left a devastated New Orleans in chaos, police stormed the Danziger Bridge, shooting and killing two unarmed people and wounding four others.
In 2006, “Crocodile Hunter” Steve Irwin died at age 44 after a stingray’s barb pierced his chest.
In 2018, the Senate Judiciary Committee began confirmation hearings for future Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh on a day that saw rancorous exchanges between Democrats and Republicans.
In 2021, Willard Scott, the longtime weatherman on NBC’s “Today” show who was known for his self-deprecating humor and daily happy birthdays to viewers turning 100 years old, died at age 87.
In 2022, a man killed 11 people and injured 18 more in stabbings in and around Weldon, Saskatchewan, Canada.
Today’s Birthdays: Actor Mitzi Gaynor is 92. Soul singer Sonny Charles is 83. Actor Kenneth Kimmins is 82. Singer Merald “Bubba” Knight (Gladys Knight & The Pips) is 81. TV personality and veterinarian Dr. Jan (yahn) Pol (TV: “The Incredible Dr. Pol”) is 81. World Golf Hall of Famer Raymond Floyd is 81. Actor Jennifer Salt is 79. World Golf Hall of Famer Tom Watson is 74. R&B musician Ronald LaPread is 73. Actor Judith Ivey is 72. Rock musician Martin Chambers (The Pretenders) is 72. Actor Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs is 70. Actor Khandi Alexander is 66. Actor-comedian Damon Wayans Sr. is 63. Rock musician Kim Thayil is 63. Actor Richard Speight Jr. is 54. Actor Noah Taylor is 54. Actor Ione (eye-OH’-nee) Skye is 53. Actor-singer James Monroe Iglehart is 49. Pop-rock singer-DJ-musician-producer Mark Ronson is 48. R&B singer Richard Wingo (Jagged Edge) is 48. Rock musician Ian Grushka (New Found Glory) is 46. Actor Wes Bentley is 45. Actor Max Greenfield is 44. Country singer Granger Smith is 44. Singer Dan Miller (O Town) is 43. Singer Beyoncé is 42. Actor-comedian Whitney Cummings is 41c. Actor-comedian Kyle Mooney (TV: “Saturday Night Live”) is 39. Folk-rock musician Neyla Pekarek (NEE’-lah peh-KAYR’-ehk) (formerly with The Lumineers) is 37. Pop-rock singer-songwriter James Bay is 33. Actor Carter Jenkins is 32. Actor Trevor Gagnon is 28.
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