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Today in History: July 24
1505
On their way to India, a group of Portuguese explorers sack the city-state of Kilwa.

1567
Mary, Queen of Scots, is imprisoned and forced to abdicate her throne to her 1-year-old son James VI.

1701
Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac establishes Fort Pontchartrain for France at present-day Detroit, Michigan.

1704
Admiral George Rooke takes Gibraltar from the Spanish.

1766
At Fort Ontario, Canada, Ottawa chief Pontiac and William Johnson sign a peace agreement.

1791
Robespierre expels all Jacobins opposed to the principles of the French Revolution.

1847
The first members of Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Mormons) arrive in Utah, settling in present-day Salt Lake City.

1862
The eighth president of the United States, Martin Van Buren, dies at the age of 79.

1897
African-American soldiers of the 25th Infantry Bicycle Corps arrive in St. Louis, Mo., after completing a 40-day bike ride from Missoula, Montana.

1941
The U.S. government denounces Japanese actions in Indochina.

1942
The Soviet city of Rostov is captured by German troops.

1950
The U.S. Fifth Air Force relocates from Japan to Korea.

1974
The Supreme Court rules that President Richard Nixon must surrender the Watergate tapes.

Today in History: Born on July 24
1783
Simon Bolivar, South American soldier and statesman.

1786
Jean-Louis Nicollet, French explorer.

1802
Alexandre Dumas, French author (The Count of Monte Cristo, The Three Musketeers).

1895
Robert Graves, poet and novelist (Goodbye to All That).

1897
Amelia Earhart, aviation pioneer.


1900
Zelda Sayre, writer (Save Me the Waltz).

1916
John D. MacDonald, author.

1920
Bella Abzug, the first Jewish woman elected to the U.S. House of Representatives.

JOTD
A Mormon and an Irishman are on a plane.

A Mormon was seated next to an Irishman on a flight from London to the US.

After the plane was airborne, drink orders were taken. The Irishman asked for a whiskey, which was promptly brought and placed before him.

The flight attendant then asked the Mormon if he would like a drink. He replied in disgust, "I'd rather be savagely raped by a dozen whores than let liquor touch my lips."

The Irishman then handed his drink back to the attendant and said, "Me too, I didn't know we had a choice."