Today in History: May 24

This is an undated drawing of American patriot and statesman John Hancock, who was the first to sign the Declaration of Independence.  (AP Photo)
In 1775, John Hancock was unanimously elected President of the Continental Congress in Philadelphia, succeeding Peyton Randolph. This is an undated drawing of American patriot and statesman John Hancock, who was the first to sign the Declaration of Independence. (AP Photo)
In 1844, Samuel F.B. Morse transmitted the message “What hath God wrought” from Washington to Baltimore as he formally opened America’s first telegraph line. In this illustration, Annie Ellsworth dictates the first dispatch via telegram to inventor Samuel Morse, seated, in the Supreme Court chambers, May 24, 1844. The dispatch, which will be decoded in Baltimore, will read, “What hath God wrought!” (AP Photo)
Astronaut Scott Carpenter gets a final going over from a suit technician as he prepares for orbital flight at Cape Canaveral, Florida, May 24, 1962. (AP Photo)
In 1962, astronaut Scott Carpenter became the second American to orbit the Earth as he flew aboard Aurora 7. In this photo, Carpenter gets a final going over from a suit technician as he prepares for orbital flight at Cape Canaveral, Florida. (AP Photo)
** FILE ** Mick Jagger, lead singer of the British rock band "The Rolling Stones", is pictured playing his guitar in his dressing room in London between shooting scenes for the film "Performance" on October 25, 1968. (AP Photo)** zu unserem KORR **
In 1968, the Rolling Stones single “Jumpin’ Jack Flash” was released in the United Kingdom by Decca Records. Mick Jagger, lead singer of the British rock band “The Rolling Stones”, is pictured playing his guitar in his dressing room in London between shooting scenes for the film “Performance” on October 25, 1968. ** zu unserem KORR ** (AP Photo)
Jazz singer Ella Fitzgerald sings at the funeral of composer Duke Ellington, May 27, 1974, at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine.  (AP Photo)
In 1974, American jazz composer and bandleader Duke Ellington, 75, died in New York. Jazz singer Ella Fitzgerald sings at the funeral of composer Duke Ellington, May 27, 1974, at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine. (AP Photo)
A French supersonic airliner Concorde takes off from New Orleans, Saturday, May 24, 1976, with French President Valery Giscard d’Estaing aboard returning to Paris after a US visit. Monday the controversial aircraft is scheduled to be landing at Dulles International Airport near Washington on a trial period. (AP Photo)
In 1976, Britain and France opened trans-Atlantic Concorde supersonic transport service to Washington. In this photo, a French supersonic airliner Concorde takes off from New Orleans with French President Valery Giscard d’’Estaing aboard, returning to Paris after a U.S. visit. Monday, the controversial aircraft is scheduled to be landing at Dulles International Airport near Washington on a trial period. (AP Photo)
In 1994, four Islamic fundamentalists convicted of bombing New York’s World Trade Center in 1993 were each sentenced to 240 years in prison. FILE– In this Feb. 27, 1993 file photo, Port Authority and New York City Police officers view the damage caused by a truck bomb that exploded in the garage of New York’s World Trade Center the previous day. The National September 11 Memorial & Museum on Friday, Jan. 26, 2018, announced the opening of a special installation to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the 1993 truck bombing of the World Trade Center. (AP Photo/Richard Drew, File)
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This is an undated drawing of American patriot and statesman John Hancock, who was the first to sign the Declaration of Independence.  (AP Photo)
Astronaut Scott Carpenter gets a final going over from a suit technician as he prepares for orbital flight at Cape Canaveral, Florida, May 24, 1962. (AP Photo)
** FILE ** Mick Jagger, lead singer of the British rock band "The Rolling Stones", is pictured playing his guitar in his dressing room in London between shooting scenes for the film "Performance" on October 25, 1968. (AP Photo)** zu unserem KORR **
Jazz singer Ella Fitzgerald sings at the funeral of composer Duke Ellington, May 27, 1974, at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine.  (AP Photo)
A French supersonic airliner Concorde takes off from New Orleans, Saturday, May 24, 1976, with French President Valery Giscard d’Estaing aboard returning to Paris after a US visit. Monday the controversial aircraft is scheduled to be landing at Dulles International Airport near Washington on a trial period. (AP Photo)

Today is Friday, May 24, the 144th day of 2019. There are 221 days left in the year.

Today’s Highlight in History:

On May 24, 1994, four Islamic fundamentalists convicted of bombing New York’s World Trade Center in 1993 were each sentenced to 240 years in prison.

On this date:

In 1775, John Hancock was unanimously elected President of the Continental Congress in Philadelphia, succeeding Peyton Randolph.

In 1844, Samuel F.B. Morse transmitted the message “What hath God wrought” from Washington to Baltimore as he formally opened America’s first telegraph line.

In 1937, in a set of rulings, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of the Social Security Act of 1935.

In 1941, the German battleship Bismarck sank the British battle cruiser HMS Hood in the North Atlantic, killing all but three of the 1,418 men on board.

In 1962, astronaut Scott Carpenter became the second American to orbit the Earth as he flew aboard Aurora 7.

In 1968, the Rolling Stones single “Jumpin’ Jack Flash” was released in the United Kingdom by Decca Records.

In 1974, American jazz composer and bandleader Duke Ellington, 75, died in New York.

In 1976, Britain and France opened trans-Atlantic Concorde supersonic transport service to Washington.

In 1991, the feminist film drama “Thelma & Louise,” starring Susan Sarandon (as Louise) and Geena Davis (as Thelma), was released by MGM.

In 2000, the state of Maryland dismissed its wiretapping case against Linda Tripp after a judge disallowed most of Monica Lewinsky’s testimony.

In 2001, 23 people were killed when the floor of a Jerusalem wedding hall collapsed beneath dancing guests, sending them plunging several stories into the basement.

In 2017, Ariana Grande suspended her Dangerous Woman world tour and canceled several European shows due to the deadly bombing at her concert in Manchester, England, two days earlier.

Ten years ago: Space shuttle Atlantis and its seven astronauts returned to Earth, ending a 13-day mission to repair and enhance the Hubble Space Telescope. Brazil’s Helio Castroneves became the ninth driver to win the Indianapolis 500 three times.

Five years ago: A lone gunman opened fire at the Jewish Museum in Brussels, killing four people. Pope Francis, in Jordan, denounced arms dealers and appealed for an urgent end to the Syrian civil war at the start of a three-day trip to the Middle East. Reality star Kim Kardashian and rapper Kanye West wed in a Renaissance fortress in Florence, Italy.

One year ago: After a Justice Department briefing, Rep. Adam Schiff, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, said there was no evidence to support claims that there was a government spy in President Donald Trump’s campaign. The president abruptly canceled a planned summit with North Korea’s Kim Jong Un, blaming “open hostility” from North Korea. (A week later, Trump announced that the summit would take place in mid-June.) Trump granted a rare posthumous pardon to boxing’s first black heavyweight champion, Jack Johnson, more than 100 years after what many see as a racially-charged conviction for violating the Mann Act by traveling with his white girlfriend. The president signed into law a measure loosening restraints for banks imposed after the 2008 financial crisis. A gunman was shot and killed by two bystanders after opening fire at an Oklahoma City restaurant and wounding three patrons. Jerry Maren, the last surviving Munchkin from the 1939 film “The Wizard of Oz,” died at a San Diego nursing home; he was 99.

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