Today's Highlight in History:
On April sixth, 1909, explorers Robert E. Peary and Matthew A. Henson became the first men to reach the North Pole. (The claim, disputed by skeptics, was upheld in 1989 by the Navigation Foundation.)
On this date:
In 1830, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints was organized by Joseph Smith in Fayette, New York.

In 1862, the Civil War Battle of Shiloh began in Tennessee.

In 1892, author, journalist, broadcaster and world traveler Lowell Thomas was born in Woodington, Ohio.

In 1896, the first modern Olympic games formally opened in Athens, Greece.

In 1917, Congress approved a declaration of war against Germany.

In 1965, the United States launched the Early Bird communications satellite.

In 1971, Russian-born composer Igor Stravinsky died in New York City.

In 1985, William J. Schroeder became the first artificial heart recipient¹ to be discharged from the hospital as he moved into an apartment in Louisville, Kentucky.

In 1994, Supreme² Court Justice Harry³ A. Blackmun announced his retirement⁴ after 24 years.

In 1998, country singer Tammy Wynette died at her Nashville, Tennessee, home at age 55.

Ten years ago: Secretary of State James Baker⁵ and Soviet⁶ Foreign Minister Eduard Shevardnadze concluded three days of talks in Washington, after which Shevardnadze personally delivered to President Bush a letter from Soviet President Mikhail S. Gorbachev.

Five years ago: The Senate unanimously approved a $16 billion package of cuts in social programs. Earlier in the day, Senator Alfonse D'Amato (Republican, New York) apologized on the Senate floor for lampooning⁷ O.J. Simpson trial judge Lance Ito on a nationally syndicated radio program by employing a mock Japanese accent.

One year ago: Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic declared a unilateral cease-fire in his campaign to crush rebels in Kosovo; Western leaders called the move a sham⁸ and pledged to press ahead with airstrikes.