Today In History

Visitors to the Smithsonian Museum of American History in Washington look at the flag that flew over Ft. McHenry in Baltimore on Sept. 14, 1814. (AP Photo/Dennis Cook)
Visitors to the Smithsonian Museum of American History in Washington look at the flag that flew over Ft. McHenry in Baltimore on Sept. 14, 1814. (AP Photo/Dennis Cook)

Associated Press

Sept. 14, 2001, the FBI released the names of the 19 hijackers who took part in the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks; President George W. Bush toured the ruins of the World Trade Center and addressed rescue workers over a bullhorn.

On this date in:
1814- Francis Scott Key wrote the lyrics to “The Star-Spangled Banner” after witnessing the British bombardment of Fort McHenry in Maryland during the War of 1812.
1901- President William B. McKinley died in Buffalo, N.Y., of gunshot wounds inflicted by an assassin eight days earlier. Vice President Theodore Roosevelt, 42, was sworn in, becoming the youngest president in U.S. history.
1940- Congress passed the Selective Training and Service Act, providing for the first peacetime draft in U.S. history.
1959- The Soviet space probe Luna 2 became the first man-made object to reach the moon as it crashed onto the lunar surface.
1975- Pope Paul VI declared Mother Elizabeth Ann Bayley Seton the first U.S.-born saint.
1982- Princess Grace of Monaco, formerly actress Grace Kelly, died at age 52 of injuries suffered in a car crash.
1994- The remainder of the major league baseball season was cancelled on the 34th day of a strike by players.

Today’s Birthdays:
Actor-director Tyler Perry turns 46 years old today.
Walter Koenig, Actor (“Star Trek”), 79
Larry Brown, Hall of Fame basketball coach, 75
Joey Heatherton, Singer, dancer, 71
Jon “Bowzer” Bauman, Rock singer (Sha Na Na), 68
Sam Neill, Actor, 68
Melissa Leo, Actress, 55
Faith Ford, Actress (“Faith and Hope,” “Murphy Brown”), 51
Ben Garant, Actor (“Reno911!”), 45
Craig Montoya, Rock musician, 45
Nas, Rapper, 42
Jessica Brown Findlay, Actress (“Downton Abbey”), 28
Actress Kimberly Williams-Paisley (“According to Jim”) turns 44 years old today.

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