Today in History: September 21, 2004

[Today In History]

Title: Belo Interactive Newsletters

DallasNews.com -- Today in History Tuesday, September  21, 2004 AP Highlight in History: On Sept. 21, 1949, the People's Republic of China was proclaimed by its Communist leaders AP Photo On this date in: 1792 The French National Convention voted to abolish the monarchy. 1897 The New York Sun ran an editorial that answered a question from 8-year-old Virginia O'Hanlon: ''Is there a Santa Claus?'' 1931 Britain went off the gold standard. 1937 ''The Hobbit,'' by J.R.R. Tolkien, was published. 1938 A hurricane struck parts of New York and New England, causing widespread damage and claiming more than 600 lives. AP Photo/NOAA 1948 Milton Berle made his debut as permanent host of ''The Texaco Star Theater'' on NBC. 1964 Malta gained independence from Britain. 1970 ''NFL Monday Night Football'' debuted on ABC. 1973 The Senate confirmed Henry Kissinger to be secretary of state. 1977 President Jimmy Carter's budget director, Bert Lance, resigned after weeks of controversy over past business and banking practices. 1982 National Football League players began a 57-day strike. 1983 In a speech to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Interior Secretary James G. Watt described a special advisory panel as consisting of ''a black ... a woman, two Jews and a cripple.'' Watt later apologized and resigned. James Watt 1989 Hurricane Hugo, packing winds of up to 135 mph, crashed into Charleston, S.C. 1996 John F. Kennedy Jr. married Carolyn Bessette on Cumberland Island, Ga. 1996 The board of all-male Virginia Military Institute voted to admit women. 1998 President Bill Clinton's videotaped grand jury testimony was publicly broadcast; in it, Clinton tussled with prosecutors over ''the truth of my relationship'' with Monica Lewinsky. 1998 Olympic gold medal track star Florence Griffith Joyner was found dead at her California home at age 38. 1999 A powerful earthquake struck Taiwan, killing at least 2,400 people. 2001 Congress approved $15 billion to help an airline industry reeling from the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. 2002 Angelo Buono Jr., the Hillside Strangler whose killings of young women terrorized Los Angeles in the 1970s, died in prison at age 67. 2003 NASA's aging Galileo spacecraft deliberately plunged into Jupiter's turbulent atmosphere, bringing a fiery conclusion to a 14-year exploration of the solar system's largest planet and its moons.   Today's Birthdays: Actor Bill Murray turns 54 years old today. AP Photo/Reed Saxon Larry Hagman Actor 73 Leonard Cohen Poet-songwriter 70 Henry Gibson Actor-comedian 69 Fannie Flagg Author-comedian 60 Don Felder Musician (The Eagles) 57 Philthy Animal Rock musician (Motorhead) 50 Ethan Coen Producer-screenwriter 47 Dave Coulier Actor-comedian 45 David James Elliott Actor (''JAG'') 44 Nancy Travis Actress 43 Rob Morrow Actor (''Northern Exposure'') 42 Cheryl Hines Actress (''Curb Your Enthusiasm'') 39 Mike Richter Hockey player 38 Faith Hill Country singer 37 Tyler Stewart Rock musician (Barenaked Ladies) 37 Dave Rapper (De La Soul) 36 Ricki Lake Actress-talk show host 36 Ronna Reeves Country singer 36 Alfonso Ribeiro Actor 33 Luke Wilson Actor 33 Virginia Ruano Pascual Tennis player 31 Nicole Richie TV personality (''The Simple Life'') 23 Joseph Mazzello Actor 21 Lorenzo Brino Actor (''7th Heaven'') 6 Nikolas Brino Actor (''7th Heaven'') 6 Author Stephen King turns 57 years old today. AP Photo/Tammie Arroyo

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