Today in History

Today in History

Today is Saturday, Aug. 29, the 242nd day of 2020. There are 124 days left in the year.

Today's Highlight in History:

On Aug. 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast near Buras, Louisiana, bringing floods that devastated New Orleans. More than 1,800 people in the region died.

On this date:

In 1862, the Bureau of Engraving and Printing began operations at the United States Treasury.

In 1877, the second president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Brigham Young, died in Salt Lake City, Utah, at age 76.

In 1943, responding to a clampdown by Nazi occupiers during World War II, Denmark managed to scuttle most of its naval ships.

In 1944, 15,000 American troops of the 28th Infantry Division marched down the Champs Elysees in Paris as the French capital continued to celebrate its liberation from the Nazis.

In 1957, the Senate gave final congressional approval to a Civil Rights Act after South Carolina Sen. Strom Thurmond (then a Democrat) ended a filibuster that had lasted 24 hours.

In 1964, Roy Orbison's single "Oh, Pretty Woman" was released on the Monument label.

In 1966, the Beatles concluded their fourth American tour with their last public concert, held at Candlestick Park in San Francisco.

In 1982, Academy Award-winning actor Ingrid Bergman died in London on her 67th birthday.

In 2008, Republican presidential nominee John McCain picked Sarah Palin, a maverick conservative who had been governor of Alaska for less than two years, to be his running mate.

In 2009, funeral services were held in Boston for Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, who was eulogized by President Barack Obama; hours later, Kennedy's remains were buried at Arlington National Cemetery outside Washington.

In 2012, the NFL announced it would open the regular season with replacement officials.

In 2018, Sen. John McCain was remembered as a "true American hero" at a crowded service at the North Phoenix Baptist Church after a motorcade carried McCain's body from the state Capitol. Kanye West apologized on a Chicago radio station (WGCI) for calling slavery a "choice."

Ten years ago: Five years after Hurricane Katrina's wrath, President Barack Obama sought to reassure disaster-weary Gulf Coast residents during a speech at Xavier University that he would not abandon their cause. "Mad Men" received its third consecutive Emmy Award for best drama series; "Modern Family" won for best comedy series. The United States' five-year reign as Little League World Series champions ended as Tokyo defeated Waipahu, Hawaii, 4-1. Brian McCann hit a game-winning homer with help from video replay, giving the Atlanta Braves a stunning 7-6 victory over the Florida Marlins; it was the first time a game ended using a video review.

Five years ago: Church bells rang marking the decade since Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf Coast; local and congressional leaders laid wreaths at a memorial in New Orleans holding the unclaimed and unidentified bodies from the deadly storm. An Egyptian court sentenced three journalists for Al-Jazeera English to three years in prison for broadcasting "false news," sparking an international outcry. Triple Crown winner American Pharoah lost to Keen Ice in the $1.6 million Travers Stakes before a stunned crowd at Saratoga Race Course. Author and motivational speaker Wayne W. Dyer, 75, died in Hawaii.

One year ago: Authorities in Virginia said they'd taken down a multi-state drug ring, seizing enough cheap fentanyl from China to kill 14 million people. President Donald Trump said the United States planned to withdraw more than 5,000 troops from Afghanistan, and would then determine future drawdowns. Satellite images showed that a rocket at an Iranian space center that was supposed to conduct a satellite launch had exploded on its launch pad; it would be Iran's third failed launch of the year.

Today's Birthdays: Actor Betty Lynn (TV: "The Andy Griffith Show") is 94. Movie director William Friedkin is 85. Actor Elliott Gould is 82. Actor Deborah Van Valkenburgh is 68. Former Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew is 65. Dancer-choreographer Mark Morris is 64. Country musician Dan Truman (Diamond Rio) is 64. Actor Rebecca DeMornay is 61. Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch is 53. Singer Me'Shell NdegeOcello is 52. Rhythm-and-blues singer Carl Martin (Shai) is 50. Actor Carla Gugino is 49. Rock musician Kyle Cook (Matchbox Twenty) is 45. Actor John Hensley is 43. Actor Kate Simses is 41. Rock musician David Desrosiers (Simple Plan) is 40. Rapper A+ is 38. Actor Jennifer Landon is 37. Actor Jeffrey Licon is 35. Actor-singer Lea Michele is 34. Actor Charlotte Ritchie is 31. Actor Nicole Gale Anderson is 30. MLB pitcher Noah Syndergaard is 28. Rock singer Liam Payne (One Direction) is 27.