Today is Saturday, Sept. 4, the 247th day of 2021.
There are 118 days left in the year.
Today’s Highlight in History:
On Sept. 4, 1957, Arkansas Gov. Orval Faubus used Arkansas National Guardsmen to prevent nine Black students from entering all-white Central High School in Little Rock.
On this date:
In 1781, Los Angeles was founded by Spanish settlers under the leadership of Governor Felipe de Neve.
In 1862, during the Civil War, Confederate forces led by Gen. Robert E. Lee began invading Maryland.
In 1893, English author Beatrix Potter first told the story of Peter Rabbit in the form of a “picture letter” to Noel Moore, the son of Potter’s former governess.
In 1944, during World War II, British troops liberated Antwerp, Belgium.
In 1969, the Food and Drug Administration issued a report calling birth control pills “safe,” despite a slight risk of fatal blood-clotting disorders linked to the pills.
In 1972, U.S. swimmer Mark Spitz won a seventh gold medal at the Munich Olympics in the 400-meter medley relay.
In 1974, the United States established diplomatic relations with East Germany.
In 1998, Internet services company Google filed for incorporation in California.
In 1999, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat signed a breakthrough land-for-security agreement during a ceremony in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt.
In 2006, “Crocodile Hunter” Steve Irwin, 44, died after a stingray’s barb pierced his chest.
In 2014, comedian Joan Rivers died at a New York hospital at age 81, a week after going into cardiac arrest in a doctor’s office during a routine medical procedure.
In 2018, Amazon became the second publicly-traded company to reach $1 trillion in market value, following closely behind Apple.