On This Day: September 4

Updated September 3, 2012, 2:28 pm

On Sept. 4, 1957, Arkansas Gov. Orval Faubus called out the National Guard to prevent nine black students from entering Central High School in Little Rock.

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On Sept. 4, 1908, Richard Wright, whose books “Native Son” and “Black Boy” exposed the harsh effects of American racism, was born. Following his death on Nov. 28, 1960, his obituary appeared in The Times.

Go to obituary » | Other birthdays »

On This Date

By The Associated Press

1781 Los Angeles was founded by Spanish settlers.

1888 George Eastman received a patent for his roll-film camera and registered his trademark: Kodak.

1917 The American expeditionary force in France suffered its first fatalities in World War I.

1951 In the first live coast-to-coast TV broadcast, President Harry S. Truman addressed the nation from the Japanese peace treaty conference in San Francisco.

1957 Ford Motor Co. began selling its ill-fated Edsel line.

1972 Swimmer Mark Spitz became the first person to win seven gold medals at a single Olympic Games when the United States won the 400-meter relay in Munich.

2002 Singer Kelly Clarkson was voted the first “American Idol” on the Fox TV series.

2006 “Crocodile Hunter” Steve Irwin, 44, died after a stingray’s barb pierced his chest.

2007 Toy maker Mattel Inc. recalled 800,000 lead-tainted, Chinese-made toys worldwide, a third major recall in just over a month.

2008 Sen. John McCain accepted the Republican presidential nomination at the party’s convention in St. Paul, Minn.

2008 Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice in a sex scandal, forcing the Democrat out of office.

Current Birthdays

By The Associated Press

Singer Beyonce Knowles turns 31 years old today.

AP Photo/Evan Agostini

Actor Wes Bentley (“American Beauty”) turns 34 years old today.

AP Photo/Evan Agostini

1931 Mitzi Gaynor, Actress, turns 81

1942 Merald “Bubba” Knight, R&B singer (Gladys Knight & The Pips), turns 70

1949 Tom Watson, Golfer, turns 63

1951 Judith Ivey, Actress, turns 61

1955 Brian Schweitzer, Governor of Montana, turns 57

1957 Khandi Alexander, Actress (“CSI: Miami”), turns 55

1960 Damon Wayans, Actor, comedian (“My Wife and Kids”), turns 52

1968 Mike Piazza, Baseball player, turns 44

1970 Ione Skye, Actress, turns 42

Historic Birthdays

Richard Wright 9/4/1908 – 11/28/1960 American novelist and short story writer.Go to obituary »

79 Francois Chateaubriand 9/4/1768 – 7/4/1848
French author and diplomat

72 Anton Bruckner 9/4/1824 – 10/11/1896
Austrian composer, organist and teacher

65 Daniel Burnham 9/4/1846 – 6/1/1912
American architect and city planner

75 John Dillon 9/4/1851 – 8/4/1927
Irish leader of the Irish Nationalist Party

78 Simon Lake 9/4/1866 – 6/23/1945
American inventor; built the submarine “Argonaut”

45 La Argentina 9/4/1890 – 7/18/1936
Spanish dancer

78 Mary Renault 9/4/1905 – 12/13/1983
English-born South African novelist

90 Edward Dmytryk 9/4/1908 – 7/1/1999
American film director; one of the “Hollywood Ten”

70 Henry Ford II 9/4/1917 – 9/29/1987
American industrialist; head of Ford Motor Co. (1945-79)

1781	Los Angeles was founded by Spanish settlers.
1888	George Eastman received a patent for his roll-film camera and registered his trademark: Kodak.
1917	The American expeditionary force in France suffered its first fatalities in World War I.
1951	In the first live coast-to-coast TV broadcast, President Harry S. Truman addressed the nation from the Japanese peace treaty conference in San Francisco.
1957	Ford Motor Co. began selling its ill-fated Edsel line.
1972	Swimmer Mark Spitz became the first person to win seven gold medals at a single Olympic Games when the United States won the 400-meter relay in Munich.
2002	Singer Kelly Clarkson was voted the first “American Idol” on the Fox TV series.
2006	“Crocodile Hunter” Steve Irwin, 44, died after a stingray’s barb pierced his chest.
2007	Toy maker Mattel Inc. recalled 800,000 lead-tainted, Chinese-made toys worldwide, a third major recall in just over a month.
2008	Sen. John McCain accepted the Republican presidential nomination at the party’s convention in St. Paul, Minn.
2008	Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice in a sex scandal, forcing the Democrat out of office.

1931	Mitzi Gaynor, Actress, turns 81
1942	Merald “Bubba” Knight, R&B singer (Gladys Knight & The Pips), turns 70
1949	Tom Watson, Golfer, turns 63
1951	Judith Ivey, Actress, turns 61
1955	Brian Schweitzer, Governor of Montana, turns 57
1957	Khandi Alexander, Actress (“CSI: Miami”), turns 55
1960	Damon Wayans, Actor, comedian (“My Wife and Kids”), turns 52
1968	Mike Piazza, Baseball player, turns 44
1970	Ione Skye, Actress, turns 42

79	Francois Chateaubriand 9/4/1768 – 7/4/1848 French author and diplomat
72	Anton Bruckner 9/4/1824 – 10/11/1896 Austrian composer, organist and teacher
65	Daniel Burnham 9/4/1846 – 6/1/1912 American architect and city planner
75	John Dillon 9/4/1851 – 8/4/1927 Irish leader of the Irish Nationalist Party
78	Simon Lake 9/4/1866 – 6/23/1945 American inventor; built the submarine “Argonaut”
45	La Argentina 9/4/1890 – 7/18/1936 Spanish dancer
78	Mary Renault 9/4/1905 – 12/13/1983 English-born South African novelist
90	Edward Dmytryk 9/4/1908 – 7/1/1999 American film director; one of the “Hollywood Ten”
70	Henry Ford II 9/4/1917 – 9/29/1987 American industrialist; head of Ford Motor Co. (1945-79)