Today in History: July 13, George Zimmerman acquitted

Jul 12, 2022, 9:00 AM | Updated: 9:21 pm

Today in History

Today is Wednesday, July 13, the 194th day of 2022. 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.)

Ten years ago: His credibility under attack, Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney insisted he had “no role whatsoever in the management” of Bain Capital, a private equity firm, after early 1999, and demanded that President Barack Obama apologize for campaign aides who persisted in alleging otherwise. Movie producer Richard Zanuck, 77, died in Beverly Hills, California.

Five years ago: A federal judge in Hawaii weakened President Donald Trump’s travel ban by vastly expanding the list of U.S. family relationships that visitors from six Muslim-majority countries could use to get into the country. Trump defended his son’s meeting with a Russian lawyer during the presidential campaign, characterizing it as standard campaign practice. China’s most prominent political prisoner, Nobel Peace Prize winner and human rights campaigner Liu Xiaobo (lee-OO’ show-BOH’) died in prison of liver cancer at the age of 61.

One year ago: The government reported that prices paid by U.S. consumers in June had posted the sharpest 12-month spike in 13 years, as a swift rebound in spending ran up against widespread supply shortages. Los Angeles Angels pitching and hitting star Shohei Ohtani unleashed his 100 mph heat while pitching a perfect inning for the win as the American League beat the National League 5-2 for its eighth straight victory in the All-Star Game; Ohtani went 0-for-2 at the plate. “The Crown” tied with “The Mandalorian” for the most Emmy nominations, 24 each, but the Marvel universe also got bragging rights with runner-up “WandaVision”; the nominations reinforced the rapid rise of streaming, as the top-nominated scripted shows were on services that had largely emerged in the preceding two years.

Today’s Birthdays: Game show announcer Johnny Gilbert (TV: “Jeopardy!”) is 94. Actor Patrick Stewart is 82. Actor Harrison Ford is 80. Singer-guitarist Roger McGuinn (The Byrds) is 80. Actor-comedian Cheech Marin is 76. Actor Daphne Maxwell Reid is 74. Actor Didi Conn is 71. Actor Gil Birmingham is 69. Singer Louise Mandrell is 68. Rock musician Mark “The Animal” Mendoza (Twisted Sister) is 66. Actor-director Cameron Crowe is 65. Former tennis player Anders Jarryd is 61. Comedian Tom Kenny is 60. Country singer-songwriter Victoria Shaw is 60. Bluegrass singer Rhonda Vincent is 60. Actor Kenny Johnson is 59. Roots singer/songwriter Paul Thorn is 58. Country singer Neil Thrasher is 57. Actor Ken Jeong is 53. Singer Deborah Cox is 49. Actor Ashley Scott is 45. Rock musician Will Champion (Coldplay) is 44. Actor Fran Kranz is 41. Actor Aya Cash is 40. St. Louis Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina is 40. Actor Colton Haynes is 34. Actor Steven R. McQueen is 34. Soul singer Leon Bridges is 33. Actor Hayley Erin (“General Hospital”) is 28. Actor Kyle Harrison Breitkopf is 17.