Page One

Highlight in History: 

On March 18, 1959, President Eisenhower signed the Hawaii statehood bill. 

On this date: 

In 1766, Britain repealed the Stamp Act. 

In 1837, the 22nd and 24th president of the United States, Grover Cleveland, was born in Caldwell, N.J. 

In 1922, Mohandas K. Gandhi was sentenced in India to six years’ imprisonment for civil disobedience. (He was released after serving two years.) 

In 1931, Schick Inc. marketed the first electric razor. 

In 1937, more than 400 people, mostly children, were killed in a gas explosion at a school in New London, Texas. 

In 1940, Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini met at the Brenner Pass, where the Italian dictator agreed to join Germany’s war against France and Britain. 

In 1962, France and Algerian rebels agreed to a truce. 

In 1965, the first spacewalk took place as Soviet cosmonaut Aleksei Leonov left his Voskhod 2 capsule, secured by a tether. 

In 1974, most of the Arab oil-producing nations ended their embargo against the United States. 

In 1979, Iranian authorities detained American feminist Kate Millett, a day before deporting her and a companion for what were termed “provocations.” 

Ten years ago:  

South African President F.W. de Klerk claimed victory for his reforms a day after a whites-only referendum on whether to end apartheid. National Football League owners voted to drop the use of videotape replays to settle disputed calls during games (however, instant replay was brought back in 1999). 

Five years ago:  

Bulldozers began clearing away rocks and earth for a Jewish housing project in disputed east Jerusalem, triggering Palestinian protests. Labor Secretary-designate Alexis Herman got a generally favorable reception from Democrats and Republicans alike at her Senate confirmation hearing. 

One year ago:  

The Socialists conquered Paris in municipal elections, ending a century of nearly unbroken rule by the right. John Phillips, who co-founded the Mamas and the Papas and wrote its biggest hits, including “California Dreamin”’ and “Monday,” died in Los Angeles at age 65. 

Birthdays:  

Actor Peter Graves is 76. Author George Plimpton is 75. Composer John Kander is 75. Author John Updike is 70. Nobel peace laureate and former South African president F.W. de Klerk is 66. Country singer Charley Pride is 64. Singer Wilson Pickett is 61. Actor Kevin Dobson is 59. Actor Brad Dourif is 52. Singer Irene Cara is 43. Actor Thomas Ian Griffith is 40. Singer James McMurtry is 40. Singer-actress Vanessa L. Williams is 39. Olympic gold medal speedskater Bonnie Blair is 38. Country musician Scott Saunders (Sons of the Desert) is 38. Rock musician Jerry Cantrell (Alice in Chains) is 36. Rock singer-musician Miki Berenyi is 35. Rapper-actress-talk show host Queen Latifah is 32. Rock musician Stuart Zender is 28. Singer Devin Lima (LFO) is 25.