There are 171 days left in the year.
Today’s Highlight in History:
On July 13, 2013, a jury in Sanford, Florida, cleared neighborhood watch volunteer George Zimmerman of all charges in the shooting of Trayvon Martin, the Black teenager whose killing unleashed furious debate over racial profiling, self-defense and equal justice.
On this date:
In 1863, deadly rioting against the Civil War military draft erupted in New York City. (The insurrection was put down three days later.)
In 1923, a sign consisting of 50-foot-tall letters spelling out “HOLLYWOODLAND” was dedicated in the Hollywood Hills to promote a subdivision (the last four letters were removed in 1949).
In 1960, John F. Kennedy won the Democratic presidential nomination on the first ballot at his party’s convention in Los Angeles.
In 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson nominated Thurgood Marshall to be U.S. Solicitor General; Marshall became the first Black jurist appointed to the post. (Two years later, Johnson nominated Marshall to the U.S. Supreme Court.)
In 1973, former presidential aide Alexander P. Butterfield revealed to Senate Watergate Committee staff members the existence of President Richard Nixon’s secret White House taping system. (Butterfield’s public revelation came three days later.)
In 1974, the Senate Watergate Committee proposed sweeping reforms in an effort to prevent another Watergate scandal.
In 1985, “Live Aid,” an international rock concert in London, Philadelphia, Moscow and Sydney, took place to raise money for Africa’s starving people.
In 1999, Angel Maturino Resendiz (ahn-HEHL’ mah-tyoo-REE’-noh reh-SEHN’-deez), suspected of being the “Railroad Killer,” surrendered in El Paso, Texas. (Resendiz was executed in 2006.)
In 2006, Israel imposed a naval blockade against Lebanon and blasted the Beirut airport and army air bases; Hezbollah fired dozens of rockets into Israel.
In 2011, California became the first state in the nation to add lessons about gays and lesbians to social studies classes in public schools under a measure signed by Gov. Jerry Brown.
In 2016, Theresa May entered No. 10 Downing Street as Britain’s new prime minister following a bittersweet exit by David Cameron, who resigned after voters rejected his appeal to stay in the European Union.
In 2020, Washington’s NFL franchise dropped the “Redskins” name and Indian head logo amid pressure from sponsors; the move followed decades of criticism that the name and logo were offensive to Native Americans. (As new names were considered, the team would be known as the Washington Football Team; the team was eventually renamed the Commanders.)
