On this day in...

On this day in...
1657 – Freedom of religion is granted to the Jews of New Amsterdam (later New York City).
1775 – American Revolutionary War: the Siege of Boston begins, following the battles at Lexington and Concord.
1836 – U.S. Congress passes an act creating the Wisconsin Territory.
1861 – American Civil War: Robert E. Lee resigns his commission in the United States Army in order to command the forces of the state of Virginia.
1862 – Louis Pasteur and Claude Bernard complete the first pasteurization tests.
1871 – The Civil Rights Act of 1871 becomes law.
1902 – Pierre and Marie Curie refine radium chloride.
1912 – Opening day for baseball stadiums Tiger Stadium in Detroit, Michigan, and Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts.
1926 – Western Electric and Warner Bros. announce Vitaphone, a process to add sound to film.
1961 – Failure of the Bay of Pigs Invasion of US-backed troops against Cuba.
1986 – Professional basketball player Michael Jordan sets all-time record for points in an NBA playoff game with 63 against the Boston Celtics.
1999 – Columbine High School massacre: Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold kill 13 people and injure 24 others before committing suicide at Columbine High School in Jefferson County, Colorado.

Births
571 – Muhammad, (traditional date) Prophet and founder of Islam (d. 632)
1889 – Adolf Hitler, German Nazi dictator (d. 1945)
1920 – John Paul Stevens, American jurist
1923 – Tito Puente, American musician (d. 2000)
1937 – George Takei, American actor
1941 – Ryan O'Neal, American actor
1945 – Steve Spurrier, American football player and coach
1951 – Luther Vandross, American singer (d. 2005)
1959 – Clint Howard, American actor
1961 – Don Mattingly, American baseball player
1964 – Crispin Glover, American actor
1971 – Allan Houston, American basketball player
1976 – Joey Lawrence, American actor
1983 – Danny Granger, American basketball player

Great list of birthdays today with a Muslim prophet, a Supreme Court justice, a Nazi dictator, a gay asian actor, a druggy actor, the ole' ball coach, a dead singer, a big leaguer, a couple ballers, George McFly and the hunk from 'Blossom.' But I'm highlighting character actor Clint Howard. Here's his 1998 MTV Lifetime Achievement Award.