Secession

American Civil War

Civil War Memory

Harold Holzer explores revisionism and Civil War memory

Today in History: Born on June 12

1588

John Winthrop, the first governor of Massachusetts Bay Colony.

1737

John Hancock, first signer of the Declaration of Independence.

1876

Jack London, American writer (The Call of the Wild).

1893

Hermann Goering, Nazi leader, commander of the Luftwaffe.

1903

Igor Kurchatov, Russian physicist, known as the "father of the Soviet atomic bomb."

1905

Tex Ritter, singer, actor ("Have I Told You Lately that I Love You?").

1907

Sergi Korolev, engineer, lead rocket engineer and spacecraft designer for the Soviet Union during the 1950s and '60s; often called the "father of practical astronautics".

1916

P.W. Botha, first State President of South Africa (1984-89).

1923

Ira Hays, one of the US Marines photographed in the iconic image of raising a flag on Mt. Suribachi, Iwo Jima; member of the Pima tribe; portrayed himself in the movie Sands of Iwo Jima.

1926

Ray Price, singer; leader in the "Nashville sound" movement that introduced lush arrangements into country music recording ("The Same Old Me," "For the Good Times").

1938

Qazi Hussain Ahmad, former Emir of Jamaat-e-Islami, right-wing party in Pakistan; vocal critic of US counterterrorism policy.

1946

Cynthia Robinson, musician, vocalist with the psychedelic soul/funk band Sly and the Family Stone.

1949

Michael W. Vannier, radiologist; played important role in advancing three-dimensional imaging and surgical planning.

1951

Kirstie Alley, actress; won Emmy and Golden Globe as the leading actress in the TV series Cheers.

1951

Rush Limbaugh, conservative radio talk show host, political commentator and author; a leading voice in the US neo-conservative movement.

1954

Howard Stern, radio personality, author, TV show host; noted as a "shock jock" for his controversial comments on air.

1968

Heather Mills, model, charity campaigner; continued modeling with a prosthetic limb after a leg amputation due to a traffic accident and founded Heather Mills Health Trust to assist amputees; married to former Beatle Sir Paul McCartney (2003–2008).