Associated Press
On Sept. 16, 1982, a massacre of between 1,200 and 1,400 Palestinian men, women and children at the hands of Israeli-allied Christian Phalange militiamen began in west Beirut’s Sabra and Shatila refugee camps.
1630- The Massachusetts village of Shawmut changed its name to Boston.
1638- France’s King Louis XIV was born.
1810- Mexico began a successful revolt against Spanish rule.
1857- The song “Jingle Bells” by James Pierpont was copyrighted under its original title, “One Horse Open Sleigh.”
1893- Hundreds of thousands of settlers took part in a land run in Oklahoma’s “Cherokee Strip.”
1908- General Motors was formed in Flint, Mich., by William Durant.
1919- The American Legion was incorporated by an act of Congress.
1940- Rep. Samuel T. Rayburn, D-Texas, the longest-serving House speaker in history, was first elected to the post.
1940- President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed into law the first peacetime military draft in U.S. history.
1966- The Metropolitan Opera opened its new home at New York City’s Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts.
1972- “The Bob Newhart Show” premiered on CBS.
1974- President Gerald R. Ford announced a conditional amnesty program for Vietnam War deserters and draft-evaders.
2002- U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan announced that Iraq had unconditionally accepted the return of U.N. weapons inspectors.
2004- Hurricane Ivan plowed into the Gulf Coast with 130 mph wind and a major storm surge; Ivan was blamed for at least 115 deaths, 43 in the United States.
2007- A deadly shooting in Baghdad involving the U.S. security firm Blackwater USA left 17 Iraqi civilians dead.
2008- The federal government announced an emergency $85 billion loan to rescue AIG, the world’s largest insurance company.
Today’s Birthdays:
Comedian Amy Poehler (“Saturday Night Live”) turns 44 years old today.
George Chakiris, Actor (“West Side Story”), 83
Elgin Baylor, Basketball Hall of Famer, 81
Kenney Jones, Rock musician (Small Faces, The Who), 67
Susan Ruttan, Actress (“L.A. Law”), 67
Ed Begley Jr., Actor, 66
Mark McEwen, TV personality, 61
Robin Yount, Baseball Hall of Famer, 60
David Copperfield, Magician, 59
Jennifer Tilly, Actress, 57
Richard Marx, Singer, 52
Molly Shannon, Actress, comedian (“Saturday Night Live”), 51
Marc Anthony, Singer, 47
Flo Rida, Rapper, 36
Alexis Bledel, Actress (“Gilmore Girls”), 34
Madeline Zima, Actress (“Californication,” “Heroes”), 30
Nick Jonas, Rock singer, musician (The Jonas Brothers), 23
Actor Mickey Rourke turns 59 years old today.