December tenth

Today's Highlight in History:
On December tenth, 1817, Mississippi was admitted as the 20th state.

On this date:
In 1520, Martin Luther publicly burned the papal edict demanding that he recant, or face excommunication.

In 1869, women were granted the right to vote in the Wyoming Territory.

In 1898, a treaty was signed in Paris officially ending the Spanish-American War.

In 1906, President Theodore Roosevelt became the first American to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, for helping to mediate an end to the Russo-Japanese War.

In 1931, Jane Addams became a co-recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize, the first American woman so honored.

In 1948, the UN General Assembly adopted its Universal Declaration on Human Rights.

In 1950, Ralph J. Bunche was presented the Nobel Peace Prize, the first black American to receive the award.

In 1964, Dr. Martin Luther King Junior received the Nobel Peace Prize during ceremonies in Oslo, Norway.

In 1967, singer Otis Redding died in the crash of his private plane in Wisconsin.

In 1984, South African Bishop Desmond Tutu received the Nobel Peace Prize.

Ten years ago: Czechoslovakia's president, Gustav Husak, resigned after swearing in a coalition cabinet in which Communists were relegated to a minority role.

Five years ago: Yasser Arafat, Shimon Peres and Yitzhak Rabin received the Nobel Peace Prize, pledging to pursue their mission of healing the anguished Middle East. Advertising executive Thomas Mosser of North Caldwell, New Jersey, was killed by a mail bomb blamed on the Unabomber.

One year ago: Republicans on the House Judiciary Committee lined up one by one in favor of impeaching President Clinton; Democrats vowed opposition after lawyers clashed in closing arguments over alleged "high crimes and misdemeanors." Six astronauts jubilantly swung open the doors to the new international space station, becoming the first guests aboard the 250-mile-high outpost. The Palestinian leadership scrapped constitutional clauses rejecting Israel's existence.

"I dislike arguments of any kind. They are always vulgar, and often convincing."

-- Oscar Wilde, Irish poet, dramatist, author (1856-1900).