By The Associated Press

Today in History

Today is Friday, Dec. 10, the 344th day of 2021. There are 21 days left in the year.

Todayís Highlight in History:

On Dec. 10, 1994, Yasser Arafat, Shimon Peres and Yitzhak Rabin received the Nobel Peace Prize, pledging to pursue their mission of healing the anguished Middle East.

On this date:

In 1817, Mississippi was admitted as the 20th state of the Union.

In 1861, the Confederacy admitted Kentucky as it recognized a pro-Southern shadow state government that was acting without the authority of the pro-Union government in Frankfort.

In 1898, a treaty was signed in Paris officially ending the Spanish-American War.

In 1950, Ralph J. Bunche was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, becoming the first Black American to receive the award.

In 1964, Martin Luther King Jr. received his Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo, saying he accepted it ìwith an abiding faith in America and an audacious faith in the future of mankind.î

In 1967, singer Otis Redding, 26, and six others were killed when their plane crashed into Wisconsinís Lake Monona; trumpeter Ben Cauley, a member of the group the Bar-Kays, was the only survivor.

In 1996, South African President Nelson Mandela signed the countryís new constitution into law during a ceremony in Sharpeville.

In 2005, actor-comedian Richard Pryor died in Encino, California, at age 65.

In 2006, Former Chilean dictator General Augusto Pinochet died at age 91.

In 2007, former Vice President Al Gore accepted the Nobel Peace Prize with a call for humanity to rise up against a looming climate crisis and stop waging war on the environment.

In 2013, South Africa held a memorial service for Nelson Mandela, during which U.S. President Barack Obama energized tens of thousands of spectators and nearly 100 visiting heads of state with a plea for the world to emulate ìthe last great liberator of the 20th century.î (The ceremony was marred by the presence of a sign-language interpreter who deaf advocates said was an impostor waving his arms around meaninglessly.) General Motors named product chief Mary Barra its new CEO, making her the first woman to run a U.S. car company.

In 2019, House Democrats announced two articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump, declaring that he ìbetrayed the nationî with his actions toward Ukraine and an obstruction of Congressí investigation; Trump responded with a tweet of ìWITCH HUNT!î At an evening rally in Pennsylvania, Trump mocked the impeachment effort and predicted it would lead to his reelection in 2020.

Ten years ago: Tens of thousands of Russians staged anti-government protests, charging electoral fraud and demanding an end to Vladimir Putinís rule. Robert Griffin III beat out preseason favorite Andrew Luck to win the Heisman Trophy.

Five years ago: Donald Trumpís presidential transition team challenged the veracity of U.S. intelligence assessments that Russia had tried to tip the November election in his favor.

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