Today's Highlight in History:
On Dec. 1, 1955, Rosa Parks, a black seamstress, refused to give up her seat to a white man on a Montgomery, Ala., city bus. Mrs. Parks was arrested, sparking a year-long boycott of the buses by blacks.
On this date:
In 1824, the presidential election was turned over to the U.S. House of Representatives when a deadlock developed between John Quincy Adams, Andrew Jackson, William H. Crawford and Henry Clay. (Adams ended up the winner.)
In 1860, the Charles Dickens novel "Great Expectations" was first published in weekly serial form.
In 1913, the first drive-in automobile service station, built by Gulf Refining Company, opened in Pittsburgh.
In 1941, Japan's Emperor Hirohito approved waging war against the United States, Britain and the Netherlands.
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In 1943, President Franklin D. Roosevelt, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and Soviet leader Josef Stalin concluded their Tehran conference.
In 1958, the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical "Flower Drum Song" opened on Broadway.
In 1969, the U.S. government held its first draft lottery since World War II.
In 1973, David Ben-Gurion, Israel's first prime minister, died in Tel Aviv at age 87.
In 1989, in an extraordinary encounter, Soviet President Mikhail S. Gorbachev met with Pope John Paul II at the Vatican.
In 1992, in Mineola, N.Y., Amy Fisher was sentenced to 5 to 15 years in prison for shooting and seriously wounding Mary Jo Buttafuoco. (Fisher served seven years.)
In 2000, Vicente Fox was sworn in as president of Mexico, ending 71 years of ruling-party domination.
Ten years ago: India and Pakistan agreed to restore airline overflight and landing rights by Jan. 1st, 2004. Boeing Company chairman and chief executive Phil Condit resigned unexpectedly. U.S. Representative Bill Janklow went on trial in Flandreau, S.D., charged with manslaughter in the death of a motorcylist who'd collided with his automobile. (Janklow was convicted and served 100 days in jail.)
Five years ago: The National Bureau of Economic Research officially declared the U.S. to be in a recession; the Dow industrials lost 679 points to end a five-day win streak. President-elect Barack Obama announced his national security team, including Hillary Rodham Clinton as secretary of state, Eric Holder as attorney general and Janet Napolitano as homeland security secretary; Obama also said that Robert Gates would stay on as defense secretary. Actor Paul Benedict, who played English neighbor Harry Bentley on "The Jeffersons," died on Martha's Vineyard, Mass. at age 70.
One year ago: Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Jovan Belcher fatally shot his girlfriend, then drove to Arrowhead Stadium and committed suicide in front of the team's coach and general manager. Enrique Pena Nieto took the oath of office as Mexico's new president, vowing to restore peace and security. Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi called for a referendum in two weeks on a contentious new draft constitution. Alabama advanced to a national championship showdown with Notre Dame by defeating Georgia, 32-28, in the Southeastern Conference title game.
Today's Birthdays: Former CIA director Stansfield Turner is 90. Singer Billy Paul is 79. Actor-director Woody Allen is 78. World Golf Hall of Famer Lee Trevino is 74. Singer Dianne Lennon (The Lennon Sisters) is 74. Country musician Casey Van Beek (The Tractors) is 71. Television producer David Salzman is 70. Rock singer-musician Eric Bloom (Blue Oyster Cult) is 69. Rock musician John Densmore (The Doors) is 69. Actress-singer Bette Midler is 68. Singer Gilbert O'Sullivan is 67. Actor Treat Williams is 62. Country singer Kim Richey is 57. Actress Charlene Tilton is 55. Actress-model Carol Alt is 53. Actor Jeremy Northam is 52. Actress Katherine LaNasa is 47. Producer-director Andrew Adamson is 47. Actor Nestor Carbonell is 46. Actress Golden Brooks is 43. Actress-comedian Sarah Silverman is 43. Actor Ron Melendez is 41. Contemporary Christian singer Bart Millard (MIL'-urd) is 41. Actor-writer-producer David Hornsby is 38. Singer Sarah Masen is 38. Rock musician Brad Delson (Linkin Park) is 36. Actor Nate Torrence is 36. Rock/Christian music singer-songwriter Mat Kearney is 35. Rock musician Mika Fineo (Filter) is 32. R&B singer Janelle Monae is 28. Actress Ashley Monique Clark is 25. Actor Jackson Nicoll is 10.
Thought for Today: "Life begins when a person first realizes how soon it will end." -- Marcelene Cox, American writer.
