MIKE GRACIA

The thirteen-day siege of the Alamo by Santa Anna and his army
ended on this day in 1836. The Mexican army of three thousand
men defeated the 189 Texas volunteers.

The U.S. Supreme Court’s Dred Scott decision on this day in 1857, 
ruled that blacks could not sue in federal court to be citizens.

Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni   
(March 6, 1475 – February 18, 1564) 

On this day in 1981, Walter Cronkite (above) appeared in the last 
airing of "CBS Evening News with Walter Cronkite." He had been
on the job 19 years.

Edward Leo Peter McMahon Jr. (March 6, 1923 – June 23, 2009)

Ed McMahon (left) and Johnny Carson (right) began their long association in
their first TV series, the ABC game show Who Do You Trust?, running from
1957 to 1962. Then afterwards, McMahon would make his famous thirty-year
mark as Carson’s sidekick, announcer and second banana on NBC‘s highly successfully The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson from 1962 to 1992.
                                                                  (From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

Rob Reiner, actor, writer, director, producer, and activist, is 71 
years old today.

MIKE GRACIA

Hubert Horatio Humphrey Jr. (May 27, 1911 – January 13, 1978)

Japanese Chief Government Spokesman Koichi Kato issues an
official apology concerning World War ll sex slaves.

On this day in 1992, Japan apologized for forcing tens of thousands of Korean
women to serve as sex slaves or “comfort girls”, as they were called, for the 
Japanese soldiers during World War II. He said, "We cannot deny that the
former Japanese army played a role" in abducting and detaining the "comfort
girls," and "We would like to express our apologies and contrition".

L. Douglas Wilder of Virginia, the nation’s first elected black
governor, took the oath of office in Richmond on this day in 
1990.

Lawrence Douglas Wilder will turn 87 on January 17.

Emile Zola’s "J’accuse" was published in Paris on this day in 1898.

Stephen Collins Foster  (July 4, 1826 – January 13, 1864)

Foster is known as "the father of American music", was an American
songwriter known primarily for his parlor and minstrel music. Foster
wrote over 200 songs; among his best-known are "Oh! Susanna",
"Camptown Races", "My Old Kentucky Home", and "Beautiful
Dreamer".

CAMILLE BOHANNON

Fidel Castro overthrew the government of Fulgencio Batista, and
seized power in Cuba on this day in 1959.

On this day in 1863, U.S. President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation, which declared that all slaves in
the rebel states were free.

Ellis Island Immigrant Station formally opened in New York on this
day in 1892.

Hiram "Hank" Williams, Sr. (September 17, 1923 – January 1, 1953)

Hank Williams died of heart failure caused by a combination of alcohol, morphine and chloral hydrate at the age of 29 on this day in 1953. He
had developed serious problems with alcohol and drug addictions due
to severe back pain caused by spina bifida.

The hard-line coup against Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev ended on
this day in 1991. The uprising that led to the collapse was led by Russian
federation President Boris Yeltsin.

Boris Yeltsin (left) and Mikhail Gorbachev.

It was on this day in 1940.

Leon Trotsky (Lev Davidovich Bronstein)
(November 7, 1879 – August 21, 1940)

Nat Turner, a former slave, led a violent insurrection in Virginia on
this day in 1831. He was later executed.

Hawaii became the 50th state on this day in 1959. United States
President Eisenhower (seated/center) also issued the order for
the 50 star flag.

William James "Count" Basie (August 21, 1904 – April 26, 1984)

Count Basie was an American jazz pianist, organist, bandleader, and
composer who introduced several generations of listeners to the Big
Band sound and left an influential catalog.  

                     
                      Kenneth Ray Rogers is 79 years old today.

Kenny Rogers has sold more than 100 million albums over the course of his
career. His 1970s albums The Gambler and Kenny went 5x Platinum and 3x
Platinum, respectively. In 2013, he was inducted into the Country Music Hall
of Fame. He joined his first band,The Scholars, in the mid-1950s, but the band
dissolved after their frontman left to go solo.

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CAMILLE BOHANNON

It took place on this day in 1953.

The emancipation of slaves was proclaimed in Texas on this day
in 1865. It is the oldest known celebrating commemorating the
ending of slavery in the country.

Paula Julie Abdul is 55 years young today.

Paula Abdul was inspired to perform by dancer Gene Kelly. She started her
career as an LA Lakers cheerleader and then became a  choreographer. She
won the Lifetime Achievement Award for choreography at The Carnival:
Choreographer’s Ball in 2013.