Today in History

Today is Wednesday, June 22, the 173rd day of 2022. There are 192 days left in the year.

Today’s Highlight in History:

On June 22, 1940, during World War II, Adolf Hitler gained a stunning victory as France was forced to sign an armistice eight days after German forces overran Paris.

On this date:

In 1815, Napoleon Bonaparte abdicated for a second time as Emperor of the French.

In 1870, the United States Department of Justice was created.

In 1937, Joe Louis began his reign as world heavyweight boxing champion by knocking out Jim Braddock in the eighth round of their fight in Chicago. (A year later on this date, Louis knocked out Max Schmeling in the first round of their rematch at Yankee Stadium.)

In 1941, Nazi Germany launched Operation Barbarossa, a massive invasion of the Soviet Union.

In 1944, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Servicemen’s Readjustment Act of 1944, more popularly known as the “GI Bill of Rights.”

In 1945, the World War II battle for Okinawa ended with an Allied victory.

In 1965, movie producer David O. Selznick (“Gone with the Wind”) died in Los Angeles at age 63.

In 1970, President Richard Nixon signed an extension of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 that lowered the minimum voting age to 18.

In 1977, John N. Mitchell became the first former U.S. Attorney General to go to prison as he began serving a sentence for his role in the Watergate cover-up. (He was released 19 months later.)

In 1981, Mark David Chapman pleaded guilty to killing rock star John Lennon. Abolhassan Bani-Sadr was deposed as president of Iran.

In 1992, the U.S. Supreme Court, in R.A.V. v. City of St. Paul, unanimously ruled that “hate crime” laws that banned cross burning and similar expressions of racial bias violated free-speech rights.

In 1999, in a major upset at Wimbledon, top-ranked Martina Hingis lost 6-2, 6-0 in the opening round to Jelena Dokic (yeh-LAY’-nuh DAH’-kich), a 16-year-old qualifier ranked 129th.

Ten years ago: Ex-Penn State assistant coach Jerry Sandusky was convicted by a jury in Bellefonte, Pennsylvania, on 45 counts of sexually assaulting 10 boys over 15 years. (Sandusky is serving a 30- to 60-year state prison sentence.)

Five years ago: An online conspiracy theory dubbed “pizzagate” ended with real-world consequences as a North Carolina man was sentenced to four years in prison for firing an assault rifle inside Comet Ping Pong, a Washington, D.C. pizza restaurant. California officials denied parole for convicted killer Patricia Krenwinkel, a follower of cult leader Charles Manson, for the 1969 slayings of pregnant actor Sharon Tate and four other people. The Philadelphia 76ers selected guard Markelle Fultz with the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft.

One year ago: A government watchdog reported that deaths among Medicare patients in nursing homes had soared by 32% in 2020; it was the most comprehensive look yet at the ravages of COVID-19 among its most vulnerable victims. Kobe Bryant’s widow agreed to settle a lawsuit against the pilot and owners of the helicopter that crashed in January 2020, killing the NBA star, their daughter, Gianna, and seven others; terms of the settlement weren’t disclosed. After finishing with the second-worst record in the NBA, the Detroit Pistons won the NBA draft lottery, securing the No. 1 pick. (The Pistons would select Oklahoma State guard Cade Cunningham.)

Today’s Birthdays: Actor Prunella Scales (TV: “Fawlty Towers”) is 90. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., is 89. Singer-actor Kris Kristofferson is 86. Actor Michael Lerner is 81. Actor Klaus Maria Brandauer is 79. Fox News analyst Brit Hume is 79. Singer/producer Peter Asher (Peter and Gordon) is 78. Singer Howard “Eddie” Kaylan is 75. Singer-musician Todd Rundgren is 74. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., is 73. Actor Meryl Streep is 73. Actor Lindsay Wagner is 73. Singer Alan Osmond is 73. Actor Graham Greene is 70. Pop singer Cyndi Lauper is 69. Actor Chris Lemmon is 68. Rock musician Derek Forbes is 66. Actor Tim Russ is 66. Rock musician Garry Beers (INXS) is 65. Actor-producer-writer Bruce Campbell is 64. Rock musician Alan Anton (Cowboy Junkies) is 63. Actor Tracy Pollan is 62. Environmental activist Erin Brockovich is 62. Rock singer-musician Jimmy Somerville is 61. Basketball Hall of Famer Clyde Drexler is 60. Actor Amy Brenneman is 58. Author Dan Brown is 58. Rock singer-musician Mike Edwards (Jesus Jones) is 58. Rock singer Steven Page is 52. Actor Michael Trucco is 52. Actor Mary Lynn Rajskub (RYS’-kub) is 51. TV personality Carson Daly is 49. Rock musician Chris Traynor is 49. Actor Donald Faison (FAY’-zahn) is 48. Actor Alicia Goranson is 48. Actor-comedian Mike O’Brien (TV: “Saturday Night Live”) is 46. TV personality/actor Jai Rodriguez is 43. Americana singer-songwriter John Moreland is 37. Pop singer Dinah Jane (Fifth Harmony) (TV: “The X Factor”) is 25.

Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.