Valdosta Daily Times

May 6, 2012

Today in History for Sunday, May 6, 2012


The Associated Press

-- — Highlight in History

On May 6, 1937, the hydrogen-filled German airship Hindenburg burned and crashed in Lakehurst, N.J., killing 35 of the 97 people on board and a Navy crewman on the ground.



On this date

In 1861, Confederate President Jefferson Davis approved an act passed by the Confederate Congress recognizing that a state of war existed with the United States of America.



Ten years ago

Dutch politician Pim Fortuyn was shot and killed in Hilversum, Netherlands. (Volkert van der Graaf was later convicted of killing Fortuyn and was sentenced to 18 years in prison.) Myanmar’s opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi (ahng sahn soo chee) was freed after 19 months of house arrest. Songwriter Otis Blackwell (“Don’t Be Cruel”; “Great Balls of Fire”) died in Nashville, Tenn.



Five years ago

Conservative Nicolas Sarkozy won the French presidency by a comfortable margin over socialist opponent Segolene Royal.



One year ago

Brimming with pride, President Barack Obama met with the U.S. commandos he’d sent after terror mastermind Osama bin Laden during a visit to Fort Campbell, Ky. Al-Qaida vowed to keep fighting the United States and avenge the death of Osama bin Laden.