Today in History: Thursday, June 26, 2014

AP Highlight in History:  On June 26, 1963, President John F. Kennedy visited West Berlin, where he declared in a speech, "Ich bin ein Berliner" (I am a Berliner). President Kennedy   AP Photo
On this date in: 1894 The American Railway Union, led by Eugene Debs, called a general strike in sympathy with Pullman workers. 1917 The first troops of the American Expeditionary Force arrived in France during World War I. AP Photo 1919 The New York Daily News was first published. 1925 Charlie Chaplin's comedy "The Gold Rush" premiered in Hollywood. 1945 The United Nations charter was signed by 50 countries in San Francisco. 1948 The Berlin Airlift began in earnest as the United States, Britain and France began ferrying supplies to the isolated western sector of Berlin after the Soviet Union cut off land and water routes. 1950 President Harry S. Truman authorized the Air Force and Navy to enter the Korean conflict. 1973 Former White House counsel John W. Dean told the Senate Watergate Committee about an "enemies list" kept by the Nixon White House. AP Photo 1990 President George H.W. Bush, who had campaigned for office on a pledge of "no new taxes," conceded that tax increases would have to be included in any deficit-reduction package. 1996 The Supreme Court ordered the Virginia Military Institute to admit women or forgo state support. 2000 Rival scientific teams completed the first rough map of the human genetic code. 2003 The Supreme Court, in a 6-3 decision, struck down state bans on gay sex. 2003 Strom Thurmond, the second longest-serving senator in U.S. history, died in Edgefield, S.C., at age 100. 2008 The Supreme Court struck down a handgun ban in the District of Columbia as it affirmed, 5-4, an individual right to gun ownership.		Video HIGHLIGHTS OF THIS DAY IN HISTORY Today's Birthdays: New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter turns 40 years old today. AP Photo/John Minchillo Name Profession Age Neil Abercrombie Governor of Hawaii 76 Charles Robb Former Virginia governor and U.S. senator 75 Brenda Holloway R&B singer 68 Robert Davi Actor 63 Mick Jones Rock singer, musician (The Clash, Big Audio Dynamite) 59 Chris Isaak Rock singer, musician 58 Patty Smyth Rock singer, musician 57 Shannon Sharpe Football Hall of Famer 46 Sean Hayes Actor ("Will and Grace") 44 Chris O'Donnell Actor 44 Gretchen Wilson Country singer 40 Jason Schwartzman Actor 34 Michael Vick Football player 34 Actor Nick Offerman ("Parks and Recreation") turns 44 years old today. AP Photo/Dan Steinberg