Today in History

Today in History for Nov. 20: In 1789, New Jersey became the first state to ratify the U.S. Bill of Rights. In 1841, Wilfrid Laurier, Canada's seventh prime minister, was born.

Today in Music History for Nov. 19: In 1954, entertainer Sammy Davis Jr. was seriously injured in a car crash while en route to a Los Angeles recording session from Las Vegas. His left eye was removed but he was back performing within several weeks.

Today in History for Nov. 19: In 1794, the United States and Britain signed the "Jay Treaty" concerning trade boundaries and commerce.

Celebrity Birthdays for Nov. 19: Talk show host Larry King is 84. Talk show host Dick Cavett is 81. Media mogul Ted Turner is 79. Songwriter and producer Jerry Fuller is 79. Singer Warren (Pete) Moore (Smokey Robinson and the Miracles) is 78.

Today in History for Nov. 18: In 1095, Pope Urban II called 600 men to the Council of Clermont, where he asked Europe to recapture the Holy Land from the Turks. A vast crusading army was deployed. In 1626, the newly rebuilt Basilica of St.

Celebrity Birthdays for Nov. 18: Actress Brenda Vaccaro is 78. Author-poet Margaret Atwood is 78. Actress Linda Evans is 75. Actress Susan Sullivan is 75. Country singer Jacky Ward is 71. Actor Jameson Parker is 70.

Today in Music History for Nov. 18: In 1926, 1950s pop singer Dorothy Collins, whose real name is Margaret Chandler, was born in Windsor, Ont. She got her start in Canadian radio, then performed with bandleader Raymond Scott in the U.S.

Today in Music History for Dec. 2: In 1923, soprano Maria Callas, renowned for her dramatic intensity and versatility, was born in New York City. She moved to Greece at the age of 13, studying at the Royal Conservatory in Athens.

Today in Music History for Dec. 1: In 1884, Saskatoon’s first concert was presented by the Pioneer Society. It featured solos, duets, choruses, readings and recitations. In 1913, Broadway musical star Mary Martin was born in Weatherford, Texas.

Today in Music History for Nov. 30: In 1915, blues singer and guitarist Brownie McGhee, best known for his collaborations with harmonica player Sonny Terry, was born in Knoxville, Tenn.