March 26th

Today's Highlight in History:
On March 26th, 1982, groundbreaking ceremonies took place in Washington DC for the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.

On this date:
In 1804, the Louisiana Purchase was divided into the Territory of Orleans and the District of Louisiana.

In 1827, composer Ludwig van Beethoven died in Vienna.

In 1875, poet Robert Frost was born in San Francisco.

In 1892, poet Walt Whitman died in Camden, New Jersey.

In 1911, playwright Tennessee Williams was born in Columbus, Mississippi.

In 1958, the US Army launched America's third successful satellite, Explorer Three.

In 1964, the musical play "Funny Girl" opened on Broadway.

In 1971, East Pakistan proclaimed its independence, taking the name Bangladesh.

In 1979, the Camp David peace treaty was signed by Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin (men-AH'-kem BAY'-gihn) and Egyptian President Anwar Sadat at the White House.

In 1997, the bodies of 39 members of the Heaven's Gate techno-religious cult who'd committed suicide were found inside a mansion in Rancho Santa Fe, California.

Ten years ago: "Driving Miss Daisy" won best picture at the 62nd annual Academy Awards and captured the best actress prize for Jessica Tandy; Daniel Day-Lewis was named best actor for "My Left Foot." Designer Halston died in San Francisco at age 57.

Five years ago: The National Labor Relations Board, in an extraordinary Sunday session, voted 3-to-2 to seek an injunction against baseball owners as a seven-and-a-half-month-old strike by players continued. Former diplomat-turned-radio talk show host Alan Keyes entered the race for the Republican presidential nomination.

One year ago: American-led NATO forces launched a third night of airstrikes against Yugoslavia. Right-to-die advocate Dr. Jack Kevorkian was convicted in Pontiac, Michigan, of second-degree murder for giving a patient with Lou Gehrig's disease a lethal injection, an action videotaped and broadcast on television. A cunning computer virus named "Melissa" began infecting computers across the country.

"The proof of a poet is that his country absorbs him as affectionately as he has absorbed it."

-- Walt Whitman (1819-1892).