On This Day: February 8

Updated February 7, 2012, 1:28 pm

On Feb. 8, 1996, in a ceremony at the Library of Congress, President Clinton signed legislation revamping the telecommunications industry, saying it would “bring the future to our doorstep.”
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On Feb. 8, 1878, Martin Buber, the German-Jewish religious philosopher, was born. Following his death on June 13, 1965, his obituary appeared in The Times.

Go to obituary » | Other birthdays »

On This Date

By The Associated Press

1693 A charter was granted for the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Va.

1837 The Senate selected Richard Mentor Johnson of Kentucky as vice president after no candidate received a majority of electoral votes.

1904 The Russo-Japanese War began.

1910 The Boy Scouts of America was incorporated.

1915 D.W. Griffith’s silent movie epic about the Civil War, “The Birth of a Nation,” premiered in Los Angeles.

1922 President Warren G. Harding had a radio installed in the White House.

1924 The first execution by gas in the United States took place at the Nevada State Prison in Carson City.

1968 Three college students died in a confrontation with highway patrolmen in Orangeburg, S.C., during a civil rights protest against a whites-only bowling alley.

1971 NASDAQ, the world’s first electronic stock exchange, held its first trading day.

1993 General Motors sued NBC, alleging that the program “Dateline NBC” had rigged two crashes to show that GM pickups were prone to fires. (NBC settled the lawsuit the following day.)

1999 The Senate heard closing arguments in President Bill Clinton’s impeachment trial.

2007 Model and tabloid sensation Anna Nicole Smith died at age 39 of an accidental drug overdose.

2010 Michael Jackson’s personal physician, Dr. Conrad Murray, pleaded not guilty to involuntary manslaughter in the death of the pop superstar in Los Angeles Superior Court. (Murray was convicted and sentenced to four years in jail.)

Current Birthdays

By The Associated Press

Actress Mary Steenburgen turns 59 years old today.

AP Photo/Peter Kramer

Denver Broncos head coach John Fox turns 57 years old today.

AP Photo/Ed Andrieski

1932 John Williams, Composer, conductor, turns 80

1940 Ted Koppel, Broadcast journalist, turns 72

1941 Nick Nolte, Actor, turns 71

1942 Robert Klein, Comedian, turns 70

1943 Creed Bratton, Actor (“The Office”), turns 69

1949 Brooke Adams, Actress, turns 63

1961 Vince Neil, Rock singer (Motley Crue), turns 51

1962 Lisa Jackson, EPA administrator, turns 50

1969 Mary McCormack, Actress, turns 43

1970 Alonzo Mourning, Basketball player, turns 42

1974 Seth Green, Actor (“Austin Powers” movies), turns 38

Historic Birthdays

Martin Buber 2/8/1878 – 6/13/1965 German-Jewish religious philosopher.Go to obituary »

75 Il Guercino 2/8/1591 – 12/22/1666
Italian fresco painter

79 Jacques Cassini 2/8/1677 – 4/18/1756
French astronomer

82 Daniel Bernoulli 2/8/1700 – 3/17/1782
Swiss mathematician

80 John Ruskin 2/8/1819 – 1/20/1900
English writer/critic/artist

71 William Tecumseh Sherman 2/8/1820 – 2/14/1891
American Civil War general

77 Jules Verne 2/8/1828 – 3/24/1905
French author

88 Dame Edith Evans 2/8/1888 – 10/14/1976
English stage actress

88 King Vidor 2/8/1894 – 11/1/1982
American film director

62 Chester Carlson 2/8/1906 – 9/19/1968
American physicist and inventor of xerography

68 Elizabeth Bishop 2/8/1911 – 10/6/1979
American poet/short story writer

74 Lana Turner 2/8/1921 – 6/29/1995
American film actress

24 James Dean 2/8/1931 – 9/30/1955
American film actor

1693	A charter was granted for the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Va.
1837	The Senate selected Richard Mentor Johnson of Kentucky as vice president after no candidate received a majority of electoral votes.
1904	The Russo-Japanese War began.
1910	The Boy Scouts of America was incorporated.
1915	D.W. Griffith’s silent movie epic about the Civil War, “The Birth of a Nation,” premiered in Los Angeles.
1922	President Warren G. Harding had a radio installed in the White House.
1924	The first execution by gas in the United States took place at the Nevada State Prison in Carson City.
1968	Three college students died in a confrontation with highway patrolmen in Orangeburg, S.C., during a civil rights protest against a whites-only bowling alley.
1971	NASDAQ, the world’s first electronic stock exchange, held its first trading day.
1993	General Motors sued NBC, alleging that the program “Dateline NBC” had rigged two crashes to show that GM pickups were prone to fires. (NBC settled the lawsuit the following day.)
1999	The Senate heard closing arguments in President Bill Clinton’s impeachment trial.
2007	Model and tabloid sensation Anna Nicole Smith died at age 39 of an accidental drug overdose.
2010	Michael Jackson’s personal physician, Dr. Conrad Murray, pleaded not guilty to involuntary manslaughter in the death of the pop superstar in Los Angeles Superior Court. (Murray was convicted and sentenced to four years in jail.)

1932	John Williams, Composer, conductor, turns 80
1940	Ted Koppel, Broadcast journalist, turns 72
1941	Nick Nolte, Actor, turns 71
1942	Robert Klein, Comedian, turns 70
1943	Creed Bratton, Actor (“The Office”), turns 69
1949	Brooke Adams, Actress, turns 63
1961	Vince Neil, Rock singer (Motley Crue), turns 51
1962	Lisa Jackson, EPA administrator, turns 50
1969	Mary McCormack, Actress, turns 43
1970	Alonzo Mourning, Basketball player, turns 42
1974	Seth Green, Actor (“Austin Powers” movies), turns 38

75	Il Guercino 2/8/1591 – 12/22/1666 Italian fresco painter
79	Jacques Cassini 2/8/1677 – 4/18/1756 French astronomer
82	Daniel Bernoulli 2/8/1700 – 3/17/1782 Swiss mathematician
80	John Ruskin 2/8/1819 – 1/20/1900 English writer/critic/artist
71	William Tecumseh Sherman 2/8/1820 – 2/14/1891 American Civil War general
77	Jules Verne 2/8/1828 – 3/24/1905 French author
88	Dame Edith Evans 2/8/1888 – 10/14/1976 English stage actress
88	King Vidor 2/8/1894 – 11/1/1982 American film director
62	Chester Carlson 2/8/1906 – 9/19/1968 American physicist and inventor of xerography
68	Elizabeth Bishop 2/8/1911 – 10/6/1979 American poet/short story writer
74	Lana Turner 2/8/1921 – 6/29/1995 American film actress
24	James Dean 2/8/1931 – 9/30/1955 American film actor