TODAY IN HISTORY

Wednesday, December  05, 2012 AP Highlight in History:  On Dec. 5, 1933, national Prohibition came to an end as Utah became the 36th state to ratify the 21st Amendment to the Constitution, repealing the 18th Amendment. Rev. Billy Sunday condemns repeal of prohibition   AP Photo
On this date in: 1776 The first scholastic fraternity in America, Phi Beta Kappa, was organized at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Va. 1782 Martin Van Buren, the eighth U.S. president and the first to be born after the country was formed, was born in Kinderhook, N.Y. 1791 Composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart died in Vienna at age 35. 1792 George Washington was re-elected president and John Adams was re-elected vice president. 1831 Former President John Quincy Adams took his seat as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives. 1848 President James K. Polk triggered the Gold Rush of '49 by confirming that gold had been discovered in California. 1901 Movie producer Walt Disney was born in Chicago. 1955 The American Federation of Labor and the Congress of Industrial Organizations merged to form the AFL-CIO. 1994 Republicans chose Newt Gingrich to be the first GOP speaker of the House in four decades. AP Photo/John Dericka 1996 Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan questioned whether the stock market was overvalued due to investors' "irrational exuberance." 2002 Senate Republican leader Trent Lott praised Strom Thurmond's pro-segregation 1948 presidential campaign. The ensuing uproar led to Lott's resignation from the Senate leadership. 2006 New York became the first city in the nation to ban artery-clogging trans fats at restaurants. 2008 A judge in Las Vegas sentenced O.J. Simpson to 33 years in prison (with eligibility for parole after nine) for an armed robbery at a hotel room.		Video HIGHLIGHTS OF THIS DAY IN HISTORY Today's Birthdays: Author Joan Didion turns 78 years old today. AP Photo/Charles Sykes Name Profession Age Little Richard Rock singer, musician 80 Calvin Trillin Author 77 J.J. Cale Rock musician 74 Jose Carreras Opera singer 66 Jim Messina Rock singer (Loggins and Messina, Poco) 65 Morgan Brittany Actress ("Dallas") 61 Art Monk Football Hall of Famer 55 Margaret Cho Comedian, actress 44 Cliff Floyd Baseball player 40 Paula Patton Actress 37 Amy Acker Actress ("Angel," "Dollhouse") 36 Frankie Muniz Actor ("Malcolm in the Middle") 27 R&B singer Keri Hilson turns 30 years old today. AP Photo/Chris Pizzello