SANDY KOZEL

On this day in 1948, U.S. President Truman signed executive orders
that prohibited discrimination in the U.S. armed forces and federal employment.

Fidel Castro began his revolt against Fulgencio Batista with an unsuccessful attack on an army barracks in eastern Cuba on
this day in 1953. Castro eventually ousted Batista six years later.

Former Cuban political leader and communist revolutionary, Fidel
Castro (center).

It was on this day in 1952.

Eva María Duarte de Perón (May 7, 1919 – July 26, 1952)

Eva Perón was the wife of Argentine President Juan Perón (1895–1974) and
First Lady of Argentina from 1946 until her death from cancer in 1952. She
was 33.

Evita and Juan Perón in 1947.

George Bernard Shaw (July 26, 1856 – November 2, 1950) 

Shaw was an Irish playwright, critic, polemicist, and political
activist. His influence on Western theatre, culture and politics
extended from the 1880s to his death and beyond. He wrote
more than sixty plays, including major works such as Man
and Superman (1902), Pygmalion (1912) and Saint Joan
(1923).

Sir Michael Philip Jagger is 75 today.

Mick Jagger is one of the most influential figures in the history of rock
and roll as frontman of the Rolling Stones, he was inducted into the Rock
and Roll Hall of Fame with the Stones in 1989. He met future Rolling
Stones guitarist Keith Richards in primary school.

Mick Jagger with The Rolling Stones.

ED DONAHUE

It was on this day in 1967.

Ulysses S. Grant (Hiram Ulysses Grant)
(April 27, 1822 – July 23, 1885)

Former president Ulysses S. Grant working on his memoirs just
weeks before he died. After a year-long struggle with cancer,
surrounded by his family, Grant died at 8 o’clock in the morning
in the Mount McGregor cottage on July 23, 1885, at the age of 63.

Commanding General Grant, 1866 portrait.

Britain’s Prince Andrew married Sarah Ferguson at Westminster
Abbey in London on this day in 1986. They divorced in 1996.

On this day in 1984, Miss America, Vanessa Williams, turned in her
crown after it had been learned that nude photos of her appeared 
in "Penthouse" magazine. She was the first to resign the title.

Vanessa Lynn Williams turned 55 March 18.

Golfer Tiger Woods wins career Grand Slam on this day in 2000.

CARLATA BRADLEY

It was on this day in Seneca Falls.

It was on this day in 1993.

Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell (DADT), the official United States policy on gays serving
in the military was announced by President Bill Clinton (below). It allowed
closeted members of the military to serve, while prohibiting those in the
military who were openly gay to serve. Prior to “don’t ask, don’t tell,” there
had been an outright ban on gays in the military.

Apollo 11 entered lunar orbit on this day in 1969.

Daedalus Crater was one of the sights seen as Apollo 11’s command module passed over the far side of the moon.

Baseball’s career hit leader Pete Rose (left) was sentenced on this
day in 1990 to five months in a Federal correctional institution for
filing false income-tax returns. The sentence did not permit parole,
so Rose would serve the full term.

Peter Edward Rose Sr. also known by his nickname "Charlie
Hustle", turned 77 on April 14.

A total 55 countries joined the boycott of the opening ceremony
in Moscow which began on this day in 1980.

CAMILLE BOHANNON

Roman Emperor Gaius Julius Caesar (July 12, 100 BC – March 15, 44 BC)

On this day in 1984, Democratic presidential candidate Walter F.
Mondale named U.S. Rep. Geraldine A. Ferraro of New York to be
his running mate. Ferraro was the first woman to run for vice
president on a major party ticket.

Russian republic president Boris N. Yeltsin (above) announced
his resignation from the the Soviet Communist Party on this day
in 1990.

George Eastman (July 12, 1854 – March 14, 1932)

George Eastman was an American entrepreneur who
founded the Eastman Kodak Company and popularized
the use of roll film, helping to bring photography to the
mainstream.

George Eastman taking pictures with his Kodak
camera, 1926.

Oscar Greeley Clendenning Hammerstein II 
(July 12, 1895 – August 23, 1960)

Oscar Hammerstein was an American music writer,
theatrical producer, and (usually uncredited) theatre
director of musicals for almost forty years. He won
eight Tony Awards and two Academy Awards for
Best Original Song.

SANDY KOZEL

On this day in 1940, the 114-day Battle of Britain began during World
War II.

The Telstar Communications satellite was launched on this day
in 1962. It relayed TV and telephone signals between Europe and
the U.S.

Millard Fillmore (January 7, 1800 – March 8, 1874)

Following Zachary Taylor’s death, Millard Fillmore (above)
became the 13th President of the United States on this day
in 1850. He was the last member of the Whig Party to hold
the office of president.

Zachary Taylor (November 24, 1784 – July 9, 1850)

The identity and source of Taylor’s illness are the subject
of historical speculation, although it is known that Taylor
and several of his cabinet members had come down with
similar intestinal ailments on July 4, 1850, while attending
holiday celebrations during a fund-raising event.

Shamil Salmanovich Basayev
(January 14, 1965 – July 10, 2006) 

Basayev was a Chechen militant Islamist and
a leader of the Chechen movement.

He was killed by an explosion on July 10,
2006.  Controversy still surrounds who was
responsible for his death.

Folk singer/songwriter Arlo Davy Guthrie is 71 years older today.

Like his father, Woody Guthrie, he is known for singing songs of protest
against social injustice, and storytelling around a song.

Voice actor/comedian Melvin Jerome Blanc
(May 30, 1908 – July 10, 1989)

Having earned the nickname The Man of a Thousand Voices, Blanc is
regarded as one of the most influential people in the voice acting
industry.

Mel Blanc died of advanced coronary artery disease on this day in
1989 at Cedars-Sinai, at the age of 81.

Mel Blanc at the KGW radio studio in Portland,
Oregon, circa 1948.