Today in history: Dec. 2
In 1970, the newly created Environmental Protection Agency opened its doors under its first director, William D. Ruckelshaus, and more events that happened on this day in history.
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1697: St. Paul's Cathedral
In 1697, London’s St. Paul’s Cathedral, designed by Sir Christopher Wren, was consecrated for use even though the building was still under construction.
1859: John Brown
In 1859, militant abolitionist John Brown was hanged for his raid on Harpers Ferry the previous October.
1954: Joseph R. McCarthy
In 1954, the U.S. Senate passed, 67-22, a resolution condemning Sen. Joseph R. McCarthy, R-Wis., saying he had “acted contrary to senatorial ethics and tended to bring the Senate into dishonor and disrepute.”
1970: Environmental Protection Agency
In 1970, the newly created Environmental Protection Agency opened its doors under its first director, William D. Ruckelshaus.
1982: Barney Clark
In 1982, in the first operation of its kind, doctors at the University of Utah Medical Center implanted a permanent artificial heart in the chest of retired dentist Dr. Barney Clark, who lived 112 days with the device.
2001: Enron
In 2001, in one of the largest corporate bankruptcies in U.S. history, Enron filed for Chapter 11 protection.
2015: San Bernardino
In 2015, a couple loyal to the Islamic State group opened fire at a holiday banquet for public employees in San Bernardino, California, killing 14 people and wounding 21 others before dying in a shootout with police.
2016: Donald Trump
Five years ago: President-elect Donald Trump spoke with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen in a highly unusual move that was bound to antagonize China.
2016: Oakland
Five years ago: A fire that raced through an illegally converted warehouse in Oakland, California, during a dance party killed 36 people.
2020: Vaccines
One year ago: Britain became the first country in the world to authorize a rigorously tested COVID-19 vaccine, giving the go-ahead for emergency use of the vaccine developed by American drugmaker Pfizer and Germany’s BioNTech.
Things to know today: President Biden is kicking off a more urgent COVID-19 booster campaign; pro baseball work stoppage is first in a quarter-century. Get caught up.