TODAY IN HISTORY

Wednesday, October  19, 2011 AP Highlight in History:  On Oct. 19, 1987, the stock market crashed as the Dow Jones industrial average plunged 508 points, or 22.6 percent – its biggest one-day percentage drop in history. Read the original AP story   AP Photo/Peter Morgan
On this date in: 1765 The Stamp Act Congress, meeting in New York, drew up a declaration of rights and liberties. 1781 British troops under Lord Cornwallis surrendered at Yorktown, Va., as the American Revolution neared its end. 1812 French forces under Napoleon Bonaparte began a retreat from Moscow. 1944 The Navy announced that black women would be allowed into the WAVES (Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service). 1950 United Nations forces entered the North Korean capital of Pyongyang. 1960 The United States imposed an embargo on exports to Cuba. 1969 Vice President Spiro T. Agnew referred to anti-Vietnam War protesters "an effete corps of impudent snobs." Vice President Spiro T. Agnew 2003 Pope John Paul II beatified Mother Teresa during a ceremony in St. Peter's Square. 2004 Insurgents in Iraq abducted Margaret Hassan, the local director of CARE International, from her car in Baghdad. (Hassan was later slain by her captors.) 2005 A defiant Saddam Hussein pleaded innocent to charges of premeditated murder and torture at his trial in Baghdad. 2006 The Dow Jones industrial average closed above 12,000 for the first time, finishing the day at 12,011.73. 2008 Retired Gen. Colin Powell, a Republican who was President George W. Bush's first secretary of state, broke with the party and endorsed Democrat Barack Obama for president.		Video Highlights of This Day in History Today's Birthdays: Actor John Lithgow turns 66 years old today. AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill Name Profession Age Robert S. Strauss Former U.S. ambassador to Russia 93 John le Carre Author 80 Patricia Ireland Feminist activist 66 Evander Holyfield Boxer 49 Ty Pennington TV host ("Extreme Makeover: Home Edition") 47 Jon Favreau Actor, director 45 Amy Carter Daughter of former President Jimmy Carter 44 Trey Parker TV producer ("South Park") 42 Chris Kattan Actor, comedian ("Saturday Night Live") 41 Michael Young Baseball player 35 Jason Reitman Writer, director ("Thank You for Smoking," "Juno") 34 Actress Gillian Jacobs ("Community") turns 29 years old today. AP Photo/Matt Sayles