Today in history: January 12

updated 12:03 a.m. ET Jan. 12, 2005

Today is Wednesday, Jan. 12, the 12th day of 2005. There are 353 days left in the year.

Today’s highlight in history:
On Jan. 12, 1945, during World War II, Soviet forces began a huge offensive against the Germans in Eastern Europe.

On this date:
In 1519, Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian I died.

In 1773, the first public museum in America was established, in Charleston, S.C.

In 1915, the U.S. House of Representatives rejected a proposal to give women the right to vote.

In 1932, Hattie W. Caraway became the first woman elected to the U.S. Senate.

In 1942, President Roosevelt created the National War Labor Board.

In 1948, the Supreme Court ruled that states could not discriminate against law-school applicants because of race.

In 1964, leftist rebels in Zanzibar began their successful revolt against the government.

In 1966, President Johnson said in his State of the Union address that the United States should stay in South Vietnam until Communist aggression there was ended.

In 1971, the groundbreaking situation comedy “All in the Family” premiered on CBS television.

In 1986, the shuttle Columbia blasted off with a crew that included the first Hispanic-American in space, Dr. Franklin R. Chang-Diaz.

Ten years ago: In Port-au-Prince, Haiti, an American soldier was killed, another wounded, in a shootout with a former Haitian army officer who was also killed. Qubilah Shabazz, the daughter of Malcolm X, was arrested in Minneapolis on charges she’d tried to hire a hit man to kill Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan (the charges were later dropped in a settlement with the government).

Five years ago: The U.S. Supreme Court gave police broad authority to stop and question people who run at the sight of an officer. Forced to act by a European court ruling, Britain lifted its ban on gays in the military. Charlotte Hornets guard Bobby Phills was killed in a crash during a drag race.

One year ago: President Bush and Mexican President Vicente Fox forged agreement on the contentious issues of immigration and Iraq, meeting in Monterrey before the opening of a 34-nation hemispheric summit. Singer-songwriter Randy VanWarmer died in Seattle at age 48.

Today’s birthdays: Actress Luise Rainer is 95. Former South African President P.W. Botha is 89. Country singer Ray Price is 79. Singer Ruth Brown is 77. Singer Glenn Yarborough is 75. The Amazing Kreskin is 70. Country singer William Lee Golden (The Oak Ridge Boys) is 66. Former heavyweight boxing champion Joe Frazier is 61. Singer-musician George Duke is 59. Rock musician Cynthia Robinson (Sly and the Family Stone) is 59. Actor Anthony Andrews is 57. Movie director Wayne Wang is 56. Radio commentator Rush Limbaugh is 54. Actress Kirstie Alley is 54. Country singer Ricky Van Shelton is 53. Radio personality Howard Stern is 51. Rock musician Tom Ardolino (NRBQ) is 48. Rock musician Charlie Gillingham (Counting Crows) is 45. Actor Oliver Platt is 45. Rock singer Rob Zombie is 39. Rapper TBird (B-Rock and the Bizz) is 38. Model-actress Vendela is 38. Actress Farrah Forke is 37. Rock singer Zack de la Rocha is 35. Rapper Raekwon (Wu Tang Clan) is 35. Singer Dan Haseltine (Jars of Clay) is 32. Rock musician Matt Wong (Reel Big Fish) is 32. Singer Melanie Chisholm (Spice Girls) is 31. Actor Will Rothhaar is 18. Actor Andrew Lawrence is 17.

Thought for today: “That is happiness; to be dissolved into something completely great.” — Willa Cather, American author (1873-1947).

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