Today is Wednesday, June 24, the 176th day of 2020. There are 190 days left in the year.

Today’s Highlight in History:

On June 24, 1497, the first recorded sighting of North America by a European took place as explorer John Cabot spotted land, probably in present-day Canada.

On this date:

In 1807, a grand jury in Richmond, Virginia, indicted former Vice President Aaron Burr on charges of treason and high misdemeanor (he was later acquitted).

In 1940, France signed an armistice with Italy during World War II.

In 1948, Communist forces cut off all land and water routes between West Germany and West Berlin, prompting the western allies to organize the Berlin Airlift. The Republican National Convention, meeting in Philadelphia, nominated New York Gov. Thomas E. Dewey for president.

In 1957, the U.S. Supreme Court, in Roth v. United States, ruled 6-3 that obscene materials were not protected by the First Amendment.

In 1975, 113 people were killed when Eastern Airlines Flight 66, a Boeing 727 carrying 124 people, crashed while attempting to land during a thunderstorm at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport.

In 1983, the space shuttle Challenger — carrying America’s first woman in space, Sally K. Ride — coasted to a safe landing at Edwards Air Force Base in California.

In 1987, comedian-actor Jackie Gleason died at his home in Lauderhill, Florida, at age 71.

In 1992, the Supreme Court, in a 5-4 decision, strengthened its 30-year ban on officially sponsored worship in public schools, prohibiting prayer as a part of graduation ceremonies.

Today’s Birthdays: Rock singer Arthur Brown is 78. Actress Michele Lee is 78. Actor-director Georg Stanford Brown is 77. Rock musician Jeff Beck is 76. Rock singer Colin Blunstone (The Zombies) is 75. Musician Mick Fleetwood is 73. Actor Peter Weller is 73. Rock musician John Illsley (Dire Straits) is 71. Actress Nancy Allen is 70. Reggae singer Derrick Simpson (Black Uhuru) is 70. Actor Joe Penny is 64. Reggae singer Astro (UB40) is 63. Singer-musician Andy McCluskey (Orchestral Manoevres in the Dark) is 61.