August 31st

Today's Highlight in History:
On August 31st, 1980, Poland's Solidarity labor movement was born with an agreement signed in Gdansk that ended a 17-day-old strike.

On this date:
In 1886, an earthquake rocked Charleston, South Carolina, killing up to 110 people.

In 1887, Thomas A. Edison received a patent for his "Kinetoscope," a device which produced moving pictures.

In 1888, Mary Ann Nicholls was found murdered in London's East End in what is generally regarded as the first slaying committed by "Jack the Ripper."

In 1935, President Roosevelt signed an act prohibiting the export of U-S arms to belligerents.

In 1941, the radio program "The Great Gildersleeve" debuted on NBC.

In 1954, Hurricane "Carol" hit the northeastern United States, resulting in nearly 70 deaths.

In 1969, boxer Rocky Marciano died in a light airplane crash in Iowa, a day before his 46th birthday.

In 1985, Richard Ramirez, later convicted of California's "Night Stalker" killings, was captured by residents of an East Los Angeles neighborhood.

In 1986, 82 people were killed when an Aeromexico jetliner and a small private plane collided over Cerritos, California.

In 1988, 14 people were killed when a Delta Boeing 727 crashed during takeoff from Dallas-Fort Worth Airport.

Ten years ago: UN Secretary-General Javier Perez de Cuellar met twice with Iraqi Foreign Minister Tariq Aziz in Amman, Jordan, trying to negotiate a solution to the Persian Gulf crisis.

Five years ago: At the O.J. Simpson trial in Los Angeles, Judge Lance Ito ruled the defense could play only two examples of police detective Mark Fuhrman's racist comments from taped conversations with a screenwriter.

One year ago: Detroit's teachers went on strike, wiping out the first day of class for 172-thousand students in one of the largest teachers' strikes in years. (The walkout lasted nine days.) An LAPA Boeing 737-200 crashed on takeoff from Buenos Aires, Argentina, killing 72 people, including five on the ground.

"Marriage is a great institution, but I'm not ready for an institution, yet."

-- Mae West, American actress (1892-1980).