Today in History

On July 4, 1776, the Declaration of Independence was adopted by delegates to the Second Continental Congress in Philadelphia.

On this date

1826: Fifty years to the day after the Declaration of Independence was adopted, former presidents John Adams and Thomas Jefferson both died.

1855: The first edition of Walt Whitman’s “Leaves of Grass” was published.

1912: The 48-star American flag, recognizing New Mexico and Arizona statehood, was adopted.

1960: The current 50-star version of the U.S. flag was adopted.

1987: Klaus Barbie, the former Gestapo chief known as the “Butcher of Lyon,” was convicted by a French court of crimes against humanity and sentenced to life in prison (he died in September 1991).

1995: The space shuttle Atlantis and the Russian space station Mir parted after spending five days in orbit docked together.

2012: Scientists at the European Organization for Nuclear Research in Geneva cheered the apparent end of a decades-long quest for a new subatomic particle called the Higgs boson, or “God particle.”

Today’s birthdays

Queen Sonja of Norway is 88. Broadcast journalist Geraldo Rivera is 82. International Tennis Hall of Famer Pam Shriver is 63. Christian rock singer Michael Sweet is 61. Actor Becki Newton is 47. TV personality Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino is 43. R&B singer Melanie Fiona is 42. Singer and rapper Post Malone is 30. Malia Obama is 27.