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Today in History

Staff
Tuesday March 12, 2002

Today is Tuesday, March 12, the 71st day of 2002. There are 294 days left in the year. 

 

 

Today’s Highlight in History: 

 

On March 12, 1933, President Roosevelt delivered the first of his radio “fireside chats,” telling Americans what was being done to deal with the nation’s economic crisis. 

 

On this date: 

 

In 1664, New Jersey became a British colony as King Charles II granted land in the New World to his brother James, the Duke of York. 

In 1912, Juliette Gordon Low founded the Girl Guides, which later became the Girl Scouts of America. 

In 1925, Chinese revolutionary leader Sun Yat-sen died. 

In 1930, Indian political and spiritual leader Mohandas K. Gandhi began a 200-mile march to protest a British tax on salt. 

In 1938, the “Anschluss” took place as German troops entered Austria. 

In 1939, Pope Pius XII was formally crowned in ceremonies at the Vatican. 

In 1947, President Truman established what became known as the “Truman Doctrine” to help Greece and Turkey resist Communism. 

In 1951, “Dennis the Menace,” created by cartoonist Hank Ketcham, made its syndicated debut in 16 newspapers. 

In 1969, Paul McCartney married Linda Eastman in London. 

In 1999, Hungary, Poland and the Czech Republic joined NATO. 

Ten years ago: The U.N. Security Council stood firm in its demand that Iraq comply totally with Gulf War cease-fire resolutions, rebuffing an appeal for leniency from Saddam Hussein’s special envoy, deputy prime minister Tariq Aziz. 

Five years ago: Authorities in Los Angeles arrested Mikhail Markhasev as a suspect in the shooting death of Bill Cosby’s son, Ennis. (Markhasev, who later admitted his guilt, is serving a life sentence without possibility of parole.) 

One year ago: A U.S. Navy jet mistakenly dropped a bomb on a group of military personnel at a bombing range in Kuwait, killing five Americans and one New Zealander. Abrasive, chain-smoking talk show host Morton Downey Jr. died at age 68. Spy adventure novelist Robert Ludlum died in Naples, Fla., at age 73. 

 

 

Today’s Birthdays: Former astronaut Wally Schirra is 79. Playwright Edward Albee is 74. Former Atlanta Mayor Andrew Young is 70. Broadcast journalist Lloyd Dobyns is 66. Singer Al Jarreau is 62. Actress-singer Liza Minnelli is 56. Singer-songwriter James Taylor is 54. Rock singer-musician Bill Payne (Little Feat) is 53. Actor Jon Provost (“Lassie”) is 52. Author Carl Hiaasen is 49. Actor Jerry Levine is 45. Rock musician Steve Harris (Iron Maiden) is 45. Singer Marlon Jackson (The Jackson Five) is 45. Actor Courtney B. Vance is 42. Actor Titus Welliver is 41. Baseball player Darryl Strawberry is 40. Actress Julia Campbell is 39. Actor Aaron Eckhart is 34. Rock musician Graham Coxon (Blur) is 33. Actor Samm Levine is 20.